When you're pregnant, everyone around you is excited for the little one's arrival. You look forward for the day when he or she decides to make their grand entrance. Once the little one arrives you're on almost a natural high of excitement. And then a few days later, everything goes crashing down (or at least it did for me). No one told me just how hard the baby blues are after having a baby. I was not prepared for what I was about to go through. I was so excited from becoming a mom and having such a beautiful, healthy little guy right there in front of me. Then my hormones decided to push me off a cliff for the next 5-6 weeks. I was a wreck. I would cry for absolutely no reason. I would cry just because of the time, because baby D was a day older, because it was cold...it didn't matter. I'm not saying a few tears, I'm talking full out bawling. I felt horrible. It really felt like it would never end. Finally weeks later, the baby blues starting easing up bit by bit.
I know this period is a bit different for each person, and probably each new baby, but there should be a discussion about this. It wasn't mentioned during any baby classes, no one around me told me how bad it would be, nothing. Not even anyone at the hospital mentioned this would be coming when I was being discharged. My poor husband didn't know what to do. I did make it through. My doctor at my postpartum checkup told me to get out and take walks with baby D when the weather allowed. That did help.
Going forward, I wish there was more discussion about this period and ways to cope. There should be a support group for just baby blues. Hopefully with the next little kiddo that comes, the baby blues will stay away, or at least make a minimal appearance.
