While giving birth can be an exhilarating and life-changing experience, it can also make you feel exhausted, drained, moody, or even weepy afterward. According to the American Pregnancy Association, about 70 to 80 percent of women experience some mood swings or other negative feelings after giving birth. These negative feelings are often referred to as the baby blues, and they
can make the task of taking care of your newborn more challenging. One thing you can do to cope with baby blues is to hire a good nanny.
What are Baby Blues?
Baby blues are not the same as postpartum depression, in which symptoms can be triggered by seemingly mundane things. Nonetheless, they can have a significant impact on your ability to live a normal life and take care of your baby. Baby blues can affect different women in various ways. Some women experience high levels of anxiety and emotional intensity, while others find the condition quite manageable. Some of the common symptoms of baby blues include:
- anxiety and nervousness
- impatience
- sadness
- a sense of loss
- fatigue
- poor concentration
- passiveness
- crying jags
- insomnia
Baby blues usually last only a few weeks, and they will most likely go away on their own. Each bout of baby blues can range from several minutes to a few hours a day. In some cases, this condition can develop into postpartum depression, which is a significantly more severe and dangerous problem.
How to Beat the Baby Blues On Your Own?
Baby blues are considered to be a normal consequence of childbirth, and many women have managed to overcome them without much trouble. If you feel sad after giving birth, you can try to let out your feelings by talking to a supportive family member or friend. It is also a good idea to join an online or local support group. Having conversations may only work for a short time. Sometimes, getting some rest and taking a nap may be able to help bolster your mood and keep the blues away. Alternatively, you can exercise or get a spa or manicure treatment to get rid of your negative feelings. Yet there are many ways that a nanny can help you overcome the baby blues.
Taking Care of Your Newborn and Other Children
With or without baby blues, taking care of a newborn can be in itself an exhausting and frustrating task. If you are experiencing baby blues, the task can be a lot more daunting. Negative feelings, fatigue, difficulty in focusing, lack of sleep, and other symptoms of baby blues can significantly undermine your ability to provide proper care for your newborn. They can also worsen with the demands of new motherhood. If you have other children to take care of, it is understandable that you may feel overwhelmed. Hiring a nanny can be a great solution to the problem. A nanny gives you an extra pair of hands, cutting your burden in half and giving you some free time to rest and recover from your baby blues.
Providing Valuable Company and Advice
An advantage of having a nanny is that you will have someone to interact with while you are taking care of your newborn. This can be very helpful in your endeavor to beat the baby blues. Also, an experienced nanny has worked with many new mothers with the same condition, and she can provide valuable advice to help you recover faster and provide better care for your newborn. New mothers have a lot to gain from hiring a nanny.
If you find that you need to hire a nanny to help you ease the negative effects of baby blues, it is advisable that you choose an INA Credentialed Nanny with extensive experience.
After taking a career sabbatical to become a mother, Jackie Edwards,now writes full time on topics ranging from health and wellness, right through to news and current affairs. She has, in the past battled problems with anxiety and panic, and in her spare time, she volunteers for a number of local charities that support people with mental health issues. Her youngest daughter has autism and finding ways to help and support her has been key.