Having a baby is the most wonderful feeling a female can ever have. It is supposed to be the happiest moment for the entire family. This is perhaps one of the reasons why there has not been much research done on after effects of childbirth. It may not sound good but whatever research that has been done in this sphere suggests that there are certain negative aspects of childbirth in that it may affect the female psychologically [1].
Females after childbirth often at times tend to get stressed. The stress may reach to such levels that the female may get depressed or have other mental impairments. All studies conducted have suggested that postpartum stress is the most common problem that females face after childbirth after depression [1].
The study showed that more than 30% of females indicated that they found delivering the baby to be quite traumatic psychological experience for them. Another 20% clearly had symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. In rare cases, females expressed suicidal ideation creeping in after childbirth [1].
The study proved that females after delivery of the baby experienced significant stress which affected their bonding with the baby. This article highlights some of the ways to cope up with the stress that accompanies a female after having a baby [1].
How to Deal with Stress After Having a Baby?
The primary cause of intense stress during childbirth is just the demands of a new members arrival at home and the changes that need to be brought about in daily life and routine postdelivery. Individuals try as hard as possible to get a task completed but may not be able to do so due to the baby waking up, time for feeding, or a quick nappy change. All of this on a repeated basis day in and day out becomes stressful for the female [2].
There comes a situation where you may feel that everything is getting out of control. This leads to frustration and anger issues creeping in. Another possible cause for stress may be the financial needs of the new baby and the environment where the baby is living. All these issues take toll on the female and cause her to be stressed.
Below mentioned are some of the ways to cope up with stress after having a baby [2].
Relax. Relaxing and taking time out for oneself is a must after having a baby. You can fix your time that you need to spend doing nothing and just relaxing. The relaxation can come from watching television, doing things you like, gardening, or reading a book. Just ignore everything else going on around you except your baby and just relax. This will do wonders in keeping the stress at bay [2].
Consult with Other Parents. It is always helpful to visit and have a chat with other parents. This will give you knowledge about how to go about things when you have a new baby at home. The dos and don’ts can also be inquired upon and working on it can help de-stress you. You can also join local groups for new mothers where new techniques are taught on how to keep stress of raising a baby at bay [2].
Maintain Relationships. The first thing that gets into trouble when you are stressed is relationship with your partner. This is because maximum time is spent on the baby and you do not get much time to spend with your spouse. Make sure that you spend at least some time with your partner even if it is half an hour at dinner or watching TV. This will help in keeping stress at bay [2].
Be Expressive. Talk with your partner about your feelings. It is important for you and your partner to stick together during this time and understand each other. It will also be helpful if you can talk with a friend and express your feelings [2].
Accept Help. Never refuse any help whether it is from within the family or outside it. It is impossible to do everything yourself especially with a new baby around. This will only add to your stress. Thus it is recommended to accept help so that it becomes easy for you to take care of the baby and also do household chores [2].
In conclusion, stress is one of the most common problems that females face after having a baby. The stress begins with the experience of delivering the child and continues till the child is about a year old. Coping with this stress is not something which cannot be attained. Following the above mentioned tips diligently can do wonders in keeping stress at bay after having a baby and make the experience of becoming a mother sweeter [2].
Reference:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5387093/
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/coping-with-stress/
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