When I wrote the Top Five Ways to Prevent Postpartum Depression, the comments section became a platform for discussing the commercial interests in producing vitamin supplements as well as the pharmaceutical industry’s desire to keep interest in the supplements down. The conversation left me uncertain of many complex issues. Still, I cannot figure out why people can raise money to produce supplements, but they can’t raise money to create a charity or a foundation to study Postpartum Depression and educate families about it.

Post from: Babylune

Postpartum Depression is more common that previously believed. It’s not just the baby blues or the normal crash after the adrenaline spike of giving birth. Here are the top five ways to prevent postpartum depression.

5. Choose one obsession to be vigilant about. If you’re passionate about breastfeeding on demand do it. If you’re passionate about keeping germs at bay, do that. If you believe that baby wearing is the only way to carry a baby, then do it. Choose one thing to do passionately all the time according to your ideals. Just be flexible about everything else. There is no such thing as a perfect mother and no one expects you to do everything according to a book written by someone with more money and hired help than you will ever have.

4. Monitor yourself. Parenthood can be one long stretch of worry, fear and concern for the rest of your life. If you let it. Try to catch yourself and learn how to turn your emotions around by doing something positive to address your feelings and concerns. At the same, teach yourself how to tell the difference between what you control and what you don’t. It makes room for laughter and love.

3. Don’t do it alone. There’s no such thing as a perfect mother and there’s no such thing as a mother who does it all alone. New mothers need each other to talk about their experiences and end isolation. And, while you love your baby more than anyone else, don’t worry about letting others into that circle of love. Not only are your family members your advocates if you need one, but fathers, grandparents, and siblings are all connected to you and to your children. Be connected.

2. If it interferes with joy, deal with it. Colic, exhaustion, depression, anything else that depletes you and makes your baby unhappy. Dealing with a baby’s issue improves the mother’s health and well being while dealing with the mother’s health issue improves the baby’s well being. It just makes sense. One of the benefits of having a family doctor rather than a pediatrician for the kids and a GP for you, is that they are more attuned to treating everyone, not just the patient. When it comes to new mothers and babies, that attitude is very appropriate.

1. Keep taking your prenatal vitamins with a side order of a fish oil capsule. It’s effortless and acts as a kind of insurance when you aren’t paying close attention to your diet. B vitamins and Omega acids help keep all of our moods balanced.

Post from: Babylune