I Just Had a Baby and I Feel Sad All the Time: Can You Help?
Having a baby is a milestone to which many people look forward. However, the experience can be quite different from what is expected, creating feelings of shame. But it’s important to own your emotions now so that you can safely and happily live your life as a mother and a person.
Mind and Body Medicine, LLC offers many mental health treatment options, including those surrounding the reproductive system and process, as well as women’s mental health. Tamara McDonald, DNP, takes every case seriously and wants to remind current and future patients that feelings of sadness shouldn’t be overlooked, especially at this crucial time.
Sadness after birth: Baby blues or postpartum depression?
After giving birth, many women have feelings of sadness. Pregnancy places a huge demand on both the mind and body. You have gone through a serious medical event, not to mention the physicality of pregnancy itself. Your hormones are a rollercoaster, and your body feels strange to you. And on top of everything else, you now have a brand new life to care for.
This scenario can cause a feeling of overwhelm, leaving you feeling strained, sad, and confused. But sometimes, new mothers downplay their feelings, either because of the shame of admitting that they aren’t happy after their child was born or because they think the experience is normal and will go away. But struggling with constant sadness is not normal in any situation.
The term “baby blues” is used to describe the sadness that occurs after giving birth. But as of a 2023 study, “an… accepted definition… does not exist.” This can make it hard to tell the difference between baby blues and postpartum depression. Unfortunately, many people will reject help for both issues, believing their symptoms aren’t severe enough to need help.
The important thing to remember is this: If your sadness affects your day-to-day life, it’s important to seek help. You should never suffer in silence, whether it’s for a few days, a week, or several years. And if you’re feeling sad all the time after having a baby, here is our promise to you: We can help.
Getting help for postpartum sadness
First of all, we’re calling this postpartum sadness so that you don’t feel like your symptoms need to become more severe before you seek help. If you’re always feeling sad, you shouldn’t wait for things to worsen to reach out for support.
We can offer you several options to help you manage feelings of sadness, overwhelm, and other negative emotions that affect your daily life. First, we start with a discussion of your situation, your symptoms, and your needs. Next, Dr. McDonald might suggest some at-home options you can implement, such as meditation.
In addition, we provide patients with the next steps to feel supported through their postpartum process. This can involve additional therapy sessions and possibly even a medication regimen, depending on your individual situation. You’ll always have our support as you navigate this process. If you begin a specific treatment regimen (pharmacological or behavioral), we will consistently check in to ensure it suits you.
We also focus on helping our patients increase and enhance their personal life skills, such as coping mechanisms, emotional resilience, self-compassion and care, and anxiety and stress reduction. Finally, many of our patients have found so many benefits in connecting with networks of other postpartum moms, something we’d also be happy to assist you with.
You don’t have to go through this alone
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