How to cope with the baby blues

AuthorFor information about antenatal classes near you, check out From Bellies to Babies www.hbantenatal-classes.co.nz or phone 022 637 0624. Medical disclaimer: This page is for educational and informational purposes only and may not be construed as medical advice. The information is not intended to replace medical advice offered by physicians.
Published date03 November 2021
Publication titleNapier Courier, The
During your baby’s first few days of life it’s normal to feel emotional highs and lows, something commonly referred to as the baby blues or the third-day blues — you may feel happy one minute and tearful or overwhelmed the next.

For many, bringing home a new baby means stress, exhaustion, and pain, as well as coping with a serious set of raging postpartum hormones throwing all of your emotions into hyperdrive.

These mood swings are believed to be caused by hormone changes that happen in your body after you give birth. Levels of estrogen and progesterone needed during pregnancy suddenly drop, causing shifts in mood. Other things — like being tired and not getting enough sleep, for example — also can add to these feelings.

Here’s what you need to know about the baby blues, from how they feel to how long they last.

What are the baby blues?

Around 80 per cent of people will experience the baby blues. That means four out of five new mothers experiencing it. The baby blues typically strike within a few days of giving birth, but if you had an especially tough or traumatic delivery, you may notice them even sooner. Though research can’t pinpoint exactly what causes them, their timing tells us a lot.

After birth, your body goes through extreme hormonal fluctuations to help you recover and care for your baby, shrinking your uterus back to its normal size and promoting lactation, among other things. Those hormonal changes can also affect your postpartum state of mind.

The other probable cause? The postpartum period is one during which parents are not sleeping regularly (or much at all) and coping with all the major changes in routine, not eating well and lifestyle changes that come with a new baby. You may be more at risk for feeling sad after having your baby if you had depression during a different pregnancy or at other times in your life.

What do the baby blues feel like? If you have the baby blues, you may:

● Feel angry, sad and cry a lot

● Be tearful for no apparent reason

● Feel moody, cranky or anxious

● Have trouble sleeping, eating or making decisions

● Feel overwhelmed and that you can’t do a good job of taking care of your baby

● Feel...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT