How to Avoid Depression on Maternity Leave

Content

Prolonged nervous strain leads to the fact that our physical and mental strength eventually deplete (or burn out). This usually happens to those who work hard and have little rest. Young mummies on maternity, caring for a baby, fall into this category. They work day and night, forgetting about rest, good nutrition and good sleep. Is it possible to maintain my mental and physical strength?

First joy

From the first minutes of the appearance in the child’s house, everything around is filled with joy and happiness. But this happiness is not as serene as we would like. The helpless baby needs not only your love, but all your time. Many winged mothers completely forget about themselves, because they want to do absolutely everything by themselves and not part with the crumbs for a minute - they eat on the go, sleep in fits and starts, and even run to the toilet when the baby falls asleep, and they have absolutely no time to sleep yet ...

Every day, a woman has to not only take care of the baby, but also wash, cook, clean. Such self-sacrifice is sometimes stretched for several months. It becomes common for pets that mom has to do everything herself. Some people don’t even think about sitting with the baby so that the woman would do some other work or just rest a bit. As a result, the supply of internal resources begins to deplete, and the intense rhythm of life leads to emotional burnout.

Internal resources are not unlimited

Initially, the exhaustion of internal forces manifests itself imperceptibly. Well, a little tired, a little headache - it happens to everyone. However, fatigue tends to accumulate, and, as a result, inattention, distraction, and forgetfulness appear.

A woman is so absorbed in child care that she simply does not have enough time to do what she loves. There is no time to talk with friends, not enough strength to pay attention to her husband. From this comes melancholy and despondency.

Sometimes you want at least half an hour to be alone - after all, this is a natural desire of every person. This is exactly what young mothers lack: sit in silence by the TV, cook something tasty, go shopping, or take a quiet shower. As a result, nervousness and irritability develop.

You need to relax not at cooking soups, borsch, but at meetings with friends or at least reading an interesting book. Lack of motor activity also increases the risk of our nervous exhaustion. Think about it!

The appearance of such symptoms indicates developing depression. Most often, this condition disappears over time. But when the process drags on for months, medication may be required.

Detachment Status

Nervous overstrain often leads to psychosomatic problems: the occurrence of tachycardia, pressure drops, neurodermatitis, digestive upset. Exhaustion can suppress sexual desire.

If depression on maternity leave lasts more than three months, accompanied by symptoms of neurosis, mental disorders, and sometimes even suicidal thoughts, you should urgently seek the help of a psychotherapist. The specialist, assessing the severity of the disease, will prescribe the correct treatment. Self-medication is strictly prohibited!

How to fix your emotional state

In order to improve its condition, the body needs a good shake. Think of your hobbies before giving birth or come up with new ones. You can sign up for any courses, go in for sports or just read your favorite book.

Help yourself!

A few useful tips will help prevent depression or cope with it at the initial stage:

Relax with your baby. As soon as the child falls asleep during the day, mom should also sleep a little. Daytime sleep perfectly restores a tired body.
In the evening, before going to bed, a relaxing bath calms you well, where you can add essential oils or sea salt. This procedure will help get rid of negative emotions and set you up for a relaxing holiday.
Do not forget about sports. Classes in the fresh air raise vitality, improve mood, have a beneficial effect on the emotional state. You can also buy a rope and do half an hour a day at home.
Encourage your husband, grandmother, or other close relatives to take care of the baby. At least a couple of times a week, go for a walk without a child - this is a great opportunity to relax and take a break from the routine. No matter how strong your body may be, it is still not iron and needs rest.
Arrange small holidays for yourself: shopping, massage, dessert - all that lifts your mood.
Personal care. Decree is not the time for a neglected look. Down with gray hair, tint your eyes, put on a new skirt - and there your mood will improve.
Do not refuse to read your favorite books, watch movies and just chat on the forums. You can always find some free time for this.
Many women on maternity leave have no time to indulge in depression - they are engaged remote work. It is exciting, interesting, and also profitable.
Visit the team. Do you remember how you dreamed to go on maternity leave and not see anyone for three years, or maybe five - and now you feel on the sidelines? Visit your native team and it will become easier! At the same time, remind yourself of yourself.
In order to prevent the “brains from drying out” it is very useful to carry out intellectual work during the decree. For example, you can learn a foreign language.
Keep a diary of happiness. And finally, take the time to capture the most moving and fun moments: the first step of the baby, the first word, a funny phrase and feelings that you experience. Sometimes, in order to feel happiness, you need to look at it from the side!

As you can see, maternity leave is not only a period of childcare. If you correctly manage your time, you will be engaged in self-development, self-improvement and other useful things. In this case, you will never have depression and a feeling of despondency.

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