Becoming a mother for the first time can be both daunting and frightening. Not knowing how you will react if something goes wrong, feelings of inadequacies or the fear of getting it wrong can leave mums struggling with their new found role.
Thankfully there are things you can do to make you feel better:
Understand your emotions
Understand that after you have a baby, your emotions are going to be all over the place. Often you will feel like you are going a little crazy and it can take a long while before your emotions get back to normal. Knowing that there is a reason for how you are feeling can help you feel somewhat better.
Talk about it
Fear of being called a bad mother can often cause women to bottle up their worries or anxieties. However, keeping things bottled up will also cause you to over think the situation and feel like you are on your own. Make sure you talk about your feelings to your midwife, GP or someone you trust. Having it out in the open will help you gain perspective. You might even meet someone who feels the exact same as you.
Seek help
Your feelings of inadequacies could be down to postnatal depression, so seek help. Many women suffer from the baby blues after giving birth but for some it can develop into something more severe. Never suffer in silence. Talk to your doctor or, if you don't feel comfortable speaking face-to-face, there are many charities that offer a phone line for people suffering from depression.
Signs of post-natal depression to look out for
Look out for signs of excessive worrying, inability to sleep well, feelings of anxiousness, feeling unable to cope or out of control, excessive cleaning or inability to leave your baby.
Know that you are not alone
Post natal depression is common after giving birth, so know that you are not alone. The earlier you seek help the better for you and your baby so reach out for support from family, friends, medical professionals or charities.
