Best Ways To Look After Your Maternal mental wellbeing
Becoming pregnant is one of the greatest experiences you’ll ever have. At first, there is the excitement of bringing a baby into the world. This is often followed by worry as you wait until the first trimester has passed to tell people.
It’s not generally until later in the pregnancy that you may start to stress and worry. After all, bringing a baby into the world is a big responsibility. It’s at this stage that many expecting parents should see their obstetrician Sydney to talk about mental health.
In short, it’s normal to be anxious. The key is to make sure you deal with it properly and look after your mental health.
You should note this is equally as important after the birth of your child. As a new parent, you will be tired and constantly worrying about whether you are doing it right or not. Chances are that you are!
But, you need to stay on top of your mental health.
Get Sleep
They say to sleep when the baby is sleeping but that isn’t always practical. It can be emotionally and physically draining to keep waking through the night for feeds. You can remove the pressure by having your partner or a loved one handle one of the night feeds, helping you to keep your sleep levels up.
Take Time Out
As an expecting parent or a new parent, it can be hard to give yourself time. But, you need it. Take time to relax and do your own thing. You can also use the opportunity to spend time with your partner, this is important for both your mental and physical well-being.
Take the Help
During the later stages of pregnancy and after birth your family and loved ones will be eagerly offering to help. Take them up on the offer; it’s less for you to do and stress about.
Talk To People
You need to keep talking about your thoughts and feelings. It starts with talking to your partner. For some this is enough, others need to talk to a professional. There is nothing wrong with doing this, you simply have a lot to deal with, and being able to blurt it out to someone helps you to manage your responses and emotions.
Alongside family and friends, you can chat with support groups and even a counselor.
Add Some Exercise
As a new parent, you’re not expected to start running marathons. But, as soon as you feel up to it you should start exercising. Choose something you love, whether it’s yoga, walking, or hitting the gym. The fact you enjoy doing it will make it easier to start again.
Exercise releases endorphins that make you feel good. This will help you to deal with any emotional issues post-pregnancy.
It can help to create a journal of your thoughts and how you feel. This will make it much easier to identify when you were feeling good and when you were more negative. Understanding the pattern is halfway toward dealing with it.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
