Baby Blues

Statistically about 300,000 women in Australia will give birth in the next 12 months. Of these, 80% - approximately 250,000 women - will suffer from the "Baby Blues". Of these, about 45,000 women will then go on to experience perinatal depression and need some form of medical treatment and possibly hospitalisation. These are staggering statistics.

No woman should ever feel embarrassed about experiencing "baby blues". As the figures show, the vast majority of women go through some form of this in the first few days and weeks after giving birth. The important thing is to recognise the symptoms, acknowledge the reality of your experience, and seek support - which is available in every State and Territory of Australia as well as from many private organisations such as The Tresillian Centre, The Gidget Foundation (http://www.gidgetfoundation.com.au/), and Mothers for Mothers (http://www.m-for-m.com.au/) as well as most Baby Centres.

Reasons why you might experience this include:

• feeling anxious because your sleep is disturbed and/or if you are worried (money worries are a common problem)
• feeling anxious about how your partner will react to baby and/or feeling anxious about your relationship with your partner
• feeling a sense of loss that the woman you once knew has gone and you'd like her to come back
• the demands of your home life and the extra responsibilities of caring for baby create a pressure that you have difficulty removing
• a loss of social contacts and support including, perhaps, a feeling of isolation from support systems in your wider family such as your mother and sisters

Tears and widely fluctuating emotions are normal during this period. Don't be ashamed of them and don't hide them. Joining a mothers group at this stage can be wonderful. Other mothers know how you feel - most have been there themselves - and they will willingly give you support.

Your doctor and other medical professionals will also be able to help you. In addition, try to find time for yourself - time when you can just relax and refresh - as well as accepting every possible offer from your family and friends for help whether its for washing, ironing, folding clothes, cooking meals, cleaning or anything else. Most people who offer, genuinely want to help in some way and they are trying to show you that they care. Keep up your hobbies and interests as much as possible.

Remember, the great majority of women go through this and go on to be happy, successful mothers with wonderful babies. Only a relative few go on to need extended professional help.

For more information about me and how I may be able to help you, see http://www.angelalong.com.au/

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