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Did you know that about 80% of all new mothers experience Baby Blues within the first few weeks of childbirth?  It’s true and although this can be a happy time for new mothers, it can also be a time of very mixed emotions. Mothers may cry easily and not even know why they are crying. They may feel irritable, overwhelmed, exhausted, anxious, and even sad. But as awful as it may seem at the time, these symptoms are quite normal and should only last for a short period of time. In fact, the symptoms often improve as new moms begin to balance their rest and sleep by napping more often during the day to make up for their loss of sleep at night. Moms also seem to do much better adjusting to the hormone changes if they feel support and encouragement from their family members and friends—and soon, with less pain and more confidence in their ability to care for their babies…the Baby Blues disappear!

Unlike the Baby Blues, Postpartum Depression is a much more serious medical problem. It happens when the Baby Blues symptoms last longer than two weeks or if they become much more severe. About 1 in 8 women develop postpartum depression. These moms typically feel very sad and/or deeply depressed.  They often have feelings of guilt, and difficulty sleeping and concentrating.  They often cry for long periods of time, inconsolably. They often have difficulty caring for themselves or their babies. They may have thoughts of hurting themselves or others.  These feelings can begin any time within three months after the birth. Other postpartum mood problems may include anxiety or panic disorders.  Some women experience recurring thoughts or behaviors that interfere with their daily living.

Women having Postpartum Depression symptoms should seek medical care and treatment immediately. Postpartum Depression does not simply go away. It is very real and very serious. Women who have had problems with depression in the past are much more likely to also experience depression during pregnancy and postpartum. Talk to your Doctor or Nurse Practitioner if you experience feelings of depression or any of the other feelings identified in this article. Getting help early will allow you to feel more like yourself again and able to enjoy your new baby. 

By Shelia Catlett, MSN, RN, IBCLC, ARNP

Peer Pressure and Postpartum?

Did you know that becoming a new mother means joining the Mommy Club? While that can be FUN it can also bring unexpected peer pressure.

Peer pressure? Sure, you probably thought you’d never have to endure that again! But like teens, new moms need to discover who they are, what they believe in, and whom they will listen to. Motherhood, like adolescence, causes changes in a woman’s body.  Most women want to share their woes about stretch marks, breastfeeding, and sleepless nights with their peers. It’s natural and expected.

What about Dads?  The pressure “to fit in” is much stronger for females than males. Females are more judgmental, more critical, and they have more social rules. The natural need of females to “gather” with other females makes peer pressure very strong.

Mothers compare whose child is smiling, crawling, or sleeping through the night, first. Whose child nursed the longest or who walked or talked first? For some, peer pressure grows as the child grows older. The odds become greater—will my child be able to keep up?

Peer pressure for new mothers has more to do with the way the child is developing and how the mother is able to help her child to develop. The child’s progress is seen as a measure of what the mother does. Her need to be “first” may result in pushing her child to reach milestones before s/he is ready. Like starting solid foods too soon, or encouraging a child to walk or begin toilet training months before the child is physically capable. Experienced moms know that children rarely accomplish skills before they are ready.

Pediatricians, Family Practice groups and Nurse Practitioners are a good source of information on how children develop normally.  Moms must learn when, and how much to rely on their peer group for support and affirmation. They must recognize that while friendship and belonging is an important part of being a woman, mothering is an individual process that comes from one’s heart rather than from one’s peer group. New moms must realize that long before there were peer groups there were mothers. They can then begin to mother not as one who is being mothered, but as one who is mothering.

By Susan Holland Brown, RN, ICCE, IBCLC, RLC