Guest Post: How the Baby Blues can affect a young family?

Having a baby is a huge step to take for any couple, but particularly for young couples who may be used to living life purely for each other, or even themselves. These feelings can start off as anxiousness for the baby’s arrival and may develop into something more worrying, making the mother or father moody, emotional and in a constant state of anxiety.

It’s important to recognise these sorts of symptoms early on so that early intervention can help you move on and feel better about family life.

It Isn’t Just Mothers Who Get Down

It’s a common misconception that mothers are the only ones who feel down during or after a pregnancy. But the truth is the father is just as susceptible to feelings of depression and sadness because no matter how exciting bringing a new life into the world may be, there is always a sense of loss which accompanies it. Whether that be a loss of social life, loss of personal time or even loss of money. It isn’t selfish to feel bad about having to make these changes for someone else, it’s completely normal to feel this way, and altogether better to start talking to someone about it.

Talk to Friends

When people feel down after having their first child it’s often seen as a taboo subject to discuss; everyone is meant to feel great after having a child right? But what if you don’t? You might find it difficult to talk to a partner or spouse, especially if they appear to be dealing with the changes more effectively than you are. Talking to a friend in confidence about your feelings can be a great release and they can offer some excellent impartial advise, so don’t be afraid to open up and share your feelings.

Make Time For Each Other

Research has shown that many young couples struggle to adapt to life with a new born baby. Sleep deprivation coupled with a crumbling social life and endless nappy changes can seem extremely monotonous and leave you wondering why you chose to have the baby in the first place. But making time for each other and to pray, or simply taking time to cook dinner together or take a walk in the park at the weekend can be a small, but equally huge relief to struggling young couples.

Recognising Post Natal Depression

If your symptoms of anxiety, mood swings and sadness don’t seem to be disappearing a few months after having the baby then it may be that you have postnatal depression. It’s seen as a negative but it’s actually extremely common. Sites like OnePlusOne can be extremely helpful for advice if you don’t feel you can talk to your spouse, partner or a friend.

It’s often seen as negative if you have sadness and depressive feelings after giving birth, but it’s incredibly common to feel like this whether you are a man or a woman. The best advice is to talk to friends and family, but if you feel that you would be isolated by doing this then seeking advice on websites like oneplussone.org.uk is a great way to relieve the pressure and find out where to turn next.