baby blues

Biasanya setelah Arazki tidur, saya menyempatkan diri membuka komputer sebentar untuk "me time". Hanya sekedar untuk browsing hal-hal ga penting seperti update status Twitter hehehe. Karena ada salah satu teman yang berbagi cerita tentang campur aduknya perasaan menjadi ibu baru, saya pun iseng meminta tolong Uncle G perihal "baby blues" dan menemukan ini.

Website ini mempunyai bahasa yang menarik dan mudah dimengerti. Saya tidak tahu apakah dulu saya mengalaminya, mungkin ya tapi tidak dalam posisi yang berlebihan hingga depresi atau gila (yang terakhir lebay mode on). Berikut saya unduh pengertian "baby blues" dari website tersebut. So don't worry moms, we might have felt we are not a good mother, but we are not. we always try to give the best for our children, and that what matters most. :)

Feeling blue when your baby is brand-new

Having a baby can be both exhilarating and exhausting. It can bring much joy, but it can also challenge you in ways you never expected. Soon after giving birth, many women feel weepy and moody. You may be blessed with a beautiful baby and a loving partner, yet you find yourself crying over things that usually wouldn't bother you.

You may also feel exhausted, unable to sleep, trapped, or anxious. Your appetite may increase or decrease, or you might feel irritable, nervous, worried about being a good mother, or afraid that being a mother will never feel better than it does right now. Rest assured: All these feelings — known as the "baby blues" or "postpartum blues" — are normal during the first couple of weeks after childbirth. In fact, up to 80 percent of new moms experience them.

Causes and treatment of the baby blues

After birth, your body changes rapidly. Your hormone levels drop, your milk comes in and your breasts may become engorged, and you may feel exhausted. These physical realities can bring on the baby blues.

Emotional factors also contribute to the blues. You may feel anxious about your baby's well-being, your transition to motherhood, or adjusting to your new routine. Your new responsibilities can feel overwhelming.

The good thing is that the baby blues aren't an illness, and they will go away on their own. No treatment is necessary other than reassurance, support from family and friends, rest, and time. Sleep deprivation can make the blues worse, so make an effort to rest whenever you can. Even a ten-minute nap can leave you feeling better.

When someone you know has the baby blues

Partners, friends, and relatives: The best thing you can do is reassure the new mother that many women feel this way after giving birth. She's exhausted, she's unsure of herself, and, if it's her first child, she's never done any of this before. No wonder she feels overwhelmed!

Just listen to her. Encourage her to cry if she needs to. Tell her what a wonderful job she's doing. Keep visitors to a minimum. Take phone messages for her. Tell her she doesn't have to send out thank-you cards now. Make dinner for her. Help her create a schedule and set priorities — things that must be done versus things that can wait.

Give her permission to take care of herself, too. Insist that she rest as much as possible, and volunteer to watch the baby while she naps. Above all, let her know you're there for her no matter what.

picture from Getty Images by Tom Grill.