During childbirth, women go through an enormous transformation in a matter of hours, in which these noticeable changes not only occur in our bodies, but also in our minds.

Perhaps you imagined the first days as a mother in a different way or you notice that the feeling that invades you now is not what you expected, which makes you wonder, why am I sad? We tell you all about the famous “baby blues” or mild postpartum depression .

your mind after childbirth

During pregnancy, probably like millions of women in the world, you imagined the day of your delivery as a day full of emotion and joy . And how not to do it? You will finally have your baby in your arms after a long wait! The date that you have not stopped thinking about in recent months has finally arrived.

And although it is certainly a very exciting and happy day for the arrival of the new member of the family, it is possible that your feelings are not exactly joyful . In fact, although many women feel the crush at the moment they see their baby or are ecstatic when they hear him cry for the first time, this is not always the case.

But don’t worry, what you feel is very normal . You have just gone through one of the most important, transcendental and transforming moments of your life as a woman: you have given a new life. And that is not anything .

Baby blues or mild postpartum depression

Once labor is over, your mind and body are in a very sensitive, fragile, and emotional state . Hormones continue to do their job and although your body has finished gestating your baby, little by little you will continue to transform and recover.

All those hormonal changes that you experience during and after childbirth can generate a certain disorder in your body. Your estrogen and progesterone levels increased excessively after your baby was born and of course, these influence your emotions, causing unexpected moods .

In some cases, many women experience a series of negative or sad feelings during the first days after giving birth , such as:

• Irritability
• Fatigue
• crying spells for no reason
• loss of appetite
• Difficulty falling asleep
• Increased susceptibility

If you identify with all or most of these during the three or five days after your delivery, don’t worry. You’re experiencing mild postpartum depression, or what’s known as “baby blues . “

This can disappear in a matter of hours or 10 to 15 days after your delivery and it is something very normal due to the whole process that your body went through. In fact, it is considered a very normal postpartum symptom for new mothers.

What do we do about it?

If you experience baby blues or mild postpartum depression , do not be alarmed or feel guilty for not being radiant or full of happiness those first few weeks . Be kind to yourself and think about all the work and effort your body went through to create and bring your baby to life.

As I mentioned, these feelings are normal and as the days go by, as you recognize and feel more comfortable with yourself and with your baby , you will have greater security and this will make the baby blues disappear.

Something that can help you a lot during this stage so that you feel a little better is having the support of your partner, family and friends, and especially, asking for help . Spending those first weeks in an environment of love, understanding and respect will make the adaptation to your new role as a mother easier.

Give time to time and try to rest as much as you can during those first few weeks , because how your body feels also greatly influences your mood. I know it ‘s hard to get enough sleep in the first few months with a baby , but do your best to make yourself a priority. You also matter and in order to care, you have to take care of yourself too.

But watch out if the symptoms do not improve or disappear

Now, while a slight depression or baby blues after childbirth is normal, if the days go by and your mood does not improve, then we are talking about a possible postpartum depression , like the one we have mentioned on other occasions .

In addition to presenting the symptoms of baby blues, other warning signs that tell us that we may be experiencing postpartum depression are the following:

• You do not feel a bond or connection with your baby.
• You have lost interest in those things that made you happy or pleased you.
• You are sad all the time.
• You have episodes of uncontrollable crying.
• You have a huge sense of guilt.
• Your eating habits change drastically and go to extremes: you eat too much or lose your appetite altogether.
• You feel nervous most of the time.
• You are afraid to be alone with your baby.
• You have a lot of difficulty sleeping, or on the contrary, you sleep excessively.
• You are not interested in your baby, partner, family or friends (social withdrawal).
• You have thought about harming yourself or your baby.
• You have the feeling of having “rapid thoughts” that you cannot control or stop.
• You present exaggerated changes in your mood (you feel very, very bad or very, very angry).
• You feel that you are not or will not be a good mother.
• You have ideas of regret about having been a mother.

Although symptoms can vary from woman to woman, if you experience several or most of these symptoms seek help immediately . Postpartum depression has a solution , you are not alone and by attending psychological therapy and with the support of your family you will be able to overcome it.

you matter too

Remember that during the postpartum period, and for the rest of your life as a mother, although your children are now one of your priorities, you must continue to be so too . Take time for yourself , take care of yourself, love yourself, put blame aside and don’t be afraid to ask for help.