Congratulations you’re a mum, and if the physical symptoms we outlined in postpartum pests weren’t enough for you, here are some more postpartum red flags that you should never ignore:
- You can’t get out of bed in the morning – not in a fatigue kind of way, but in a ‘I just don’t feel like, or can’t be bothered getting up today.’ You don’t have the motivation to get up and face the day and you’d rather stay in bed.
- You don’t enjoy well…anything – books, movies and music you used to enjoy just don’t cut it anymore. You can’t find the fun, or entertainment in anything and you’re beginning to wonder if you’ll ever enjoy anything ever again.
- You feel alone and alienated – you don’t feel like you’re bonding with baby, and nobody understands. At least they wouldn’t, if you could actually tell them how isolated you feel.
- You’re irritable all the time – you’re grumpy all the time and your patience has disappeared altogether. Even the way your husband breathes gets you fired up.
- You’re on auto pilot – nobody looking at you would suspect that anything is wrong because you are going through the motions but it’s just a façade and you just want someone to ask how you are, and really listen.
- You feel restless – you are not at ease and you can’t sit still. You’re so amped-up you wear yourself our physically but can’t sleep at night because you’re mentally hyper.
- You get anxious when you leave your baby – you leave your baby with hubby or your mum and as you’re driving away you’re imaging all the bad things that could happen to your baby while you’re out. You call and message constantly to make sure they’re OK.
- You cry all the time – at the drop of a hat, or when collecting the mail. You’re sad, and have a headache from crying.
- You don’t take any delight in your baby – they seem like a stranger to you and though they need you, you’re finding it hard to connect with them and to recognise the joy of your little bundle.
- You have thoughts of harming yourself or your baby
All of these thoughts are symptomatic of greater underlying problems such as post-natal depression, anxiety or psychosis. If you experience any of these symptoms seek help immediately!
You are not alone and those around you will help and support you.
I have shared my own experience with post natal depression so that you might feel empowered to take action too. You can read it here.
Originally posted 2014-09-04 03:15:35.