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Nobody told me I'd feel like this!

© Shari Green

“One minute I’m so happy, and the next minute I’m sobbing.”
“I’d give anything for a few hours of sleep.”
“You know, I really love my baby, but sometimes I just need to get away from her.”

The emotions of post-partum can be both powerful and unpredictable, and new mothers often feel like they’re riding a rollercoaster of incredible highs and despairing lows. Initially, hormonal changes play a major role in these changing emotions, and then adapting to new roles and relationships comes into play, and fatigue comes along to complicate the situation (everything seems worse when you’re tired!).

You will likely experience a mix of love and frustration, joy and sadness, pride and guilt. Surprised? Read on to see how such a mix of emotions can be present in the lives of new mothers.

Many moms anticipate the deep love they will have for their baby, and they often will find themselves staring at their newborn, overwhelmed by the depth of love they feel for this tiny being. Other women, however, are confused and disappointed when, for them, this love takes time to develop. They need time to get to know their infant. This is perfectly all right, but still some feel guilty about not being swept off their feet by the sight of their baby.

The blues.... As many as eighty percent of new mothers experience “the baby blues”. They have a day or two of feeling weepy, sad, or anxious, usually in the first week after birth. This can be related to hormones, and also “coming back to earth” after being on cloud nine after the birth. The blues also often coincide with coming home from the hospital, hubby going back to work, and you being left alone, thrust into the role of caring for your baby by yourself. The blues are normal, and they pass.

If the “blues” get out of hand and you have feelings of despair and helplessness that don’t go away, or crying that won’t stop, or thoughts of hurting yourself or your baby, you must get help. This is not normal “baby blues”; it’s post-partum depression. This can be serious and require treatment, so phone your doctor or a post-partum depression support group. You can read more about this by following the web links listed (click on "links" at the top of this page).

Stress.... Life with a new baby is amazing! However, if you expect it all to be sweet and rosy, you’re in for a surprise! It is wonderful--don’t get me wrong--but it’s also a really stressful time of life. You are dealing with physical recovery,