Postpartum Depression

Symptoms of postpartum depression are similar to what happens normally following childbirth. They include difficulty sleeping, appetite changes, excessive fatigue, decreased libido, and frequent mood swings.

About one out of every 10 of women will develop a more severe and longer-lasting depression after delivery. I was one of these women after the birth of my First child. My husband wanted to help, but he didn’t know what he could do🤷‍♂️. Actually, as we learned together, a spouse can do a hell of a lot to support their partner through postpartum depression.

I WONT deny but it's not easy, and it may not be pleasant. But a spouse can help their partner overcome and get you out of it .

📢📢Don’t undermine her feelings

She is a new MuM she has no idea what is right and what is wrong, sometime she might feel worthless, or that she’s a bad mother since her baby is crying and she doesn't have a clue what can she do. Don’t brush her off with “Honey, you know that’s not true, because…” and move on since you feel its not a big issue. It doesn’t work. You’ll only force her to maintain that she is indeed worthless.

📢📢Instead, try “I’m so sorry you feel that way. It must hurt a lot to feel like that” you can also do your own research and help her figure out what can she do. This will help her feels supported and safe.

📢📢If she’s on meds, help her figure out the breastfeeding thing. I was lucky my case was not so bad, I didn’t have to take medicine

📢📢Let her sleep🛌 She’s spent all day either being a mom or working or cleaning the house or cooking or washing and the list can go on. She needs her rest to recharge and get better. Taking the baby plus any other kids you have is one of the best things you can do for her. She can get some restorative sleep and rest from a bite, trust me 30 mints of good sleep will do wonders and will help her feel better about life in general.

📢📢Feed her For a change u can cook dinner for her or take her out it doesn’t have to be fancy. (If u wanna hear it from me😎 it will be better if u eat out 🤣)When you take over the cooking, you remove what can potentially be a big stressor, and give her more time to concentrate on feeling better; once a week for instance, she is happy u r happy everyone wins 😎

📢📢For older children, some new toys won't hurt anyone💁‍♀️💁‍♂️ More blocks, cars, or dolls won’t kill the budget, and it will give you and your partner a much-needed break. You need time to spend together to recharge — more time than usual. Put the baby in the bassinet and let the kids enjoy the new toy. This can give the two of you valuable time to spend together just chilling out.

📢📢Don’t forget the couples TIME😍🛀🧘‍♀️ Yes, she feels terrible about herself right now. She probably; (I will try to put it in the nicest way); doesn’t really like the postpartum weight she’s carrying, and she just wants to curl up in bed and not get out until Armageddon. Don’t let that happen. You need time together as a couple to reconnect. If you can leave the older ones and travel for a couple of days, or go for a movie or a date. It’s good for her in the end, even if you have to drag her. (You will have to drag her, and she’ll think of a million excuses why she should stay home.) Leave the baby if you can, but if you can’t, hopefully, the baby is small enough to sleep through the whole affair 📷:D. A baby wrap can do magic.

📢📢Wear the baby. Get a good carrier they are super snuggly, Your baby will basically get swaddled in and then will either fall asleep or look around quietly, giving you time to get housework done, hang out, or just take care of the baby with a minimum of effort and a maximum of benefit.

Your husband can also wear the baby and keep him happy, that will help “Mummy” to get some baby-free time

📢📢Get a housekeeping service. You don’t have to get the housekeeper every day if it ’s not possible. But it can be a big deal to have someone come in once or twice a week and dust the shelves, scrub the tub and do all those pain-in-the-neck chores that need doing. It’s not an admission of housekeeping failure — it’s allocating valuable resources elsewhere, i.e., toward getting your wife better. And as stereotypical as it may sound, a clean house will do wonders to lift her spirits.

📢📢Your wife needs your help. Your role, as a husband, is to support her emotionally and physically while keeping the household running. That sounds like a lot, and it is. Because of that, you need to spend some time taking care of yourself too. Make sure you’re rested as well. you don’t have to be superhuman, you can ask for help too if you’re burned-out and you have to do something about it.

Postpartum depression is exhausting for the whole family. Lessen the impact on the kids, and take care of the woman you love. Realize she needs your help desperately at this difficult time. Your help can make a big difference in her recovery.