Treating Post-Partum Depression and "The Baby Blues"
04/21/2009
There are many new moms working on losing the baby weight on PEERtrainer, and we talk to a lot of you in our Tip Of The Day weight loss program. This is probably the most overwhelmed you will ever be in your life and often people are not really prepared. And you really can't be- especially if it is your first. And in some ways your second child can be even more of an unexpected jolt!
Regardless, you are going to need to get some help. And you want to make sure that you don't have the expectation that your mother, mother-in-law, husband, friend are going to be there or have all the answers. Misunderstandings in this area are common, and what you really want is to develop a "you zone" where you can start to organize and adjust your thoughts and expectations to your new reality.
If you are lucky you can go to a counselor who really feels like a friend. It's not like there is anything wrong with you, you really just need to be shepherded into this "new place." The reality is that while your own situation is unique, what you are facing is very very common. So get in the habit of getting help and getting in the "you zone." By doing this you can really make some of the overwhelm manageable.
One thing you may want to consider is getting a set of CD's with a good therapist on there who can take you through this process and help you foster your "you zone." Probably the most important thing you can do is find something relaxing and calming.
One of the leading experts in this field and someone who is very good at helping new moms through this process is Shoshana Bennett. She is the author of Post-Partum Depression For Dummies. She also has a CD titled "Beyond The Baby Blues" that are very popular. She is also a clinical hypnotist, which simply means she knows how to help you "recondition" your mind in a way that you want. Most of us have this cartoon image of someone in a crazy trance. Hypnosis is simply the power of suggestion, and it works really well to make you feel great.
This is the outline of her program:
Session 1: Taking Care of Yourself
This short session will help you find a way to take care of your needs, no matter how much support you have from others. It is unhealthy always to be focused on the needs of others, rather than on your own needs. Shoshana's organic style will help you figure out what YOU need, and give you permission to take those healthy steps so you can have the energy to take care of your family.
Session 2: Feeling Confident
This session will help you feel confident about the healthy choices and decisions you're making as a mother, and to change those behaviors which may not be so healthy. This session can alleviate doubts and fears and will allow you to feel the satisfaction of knowing you're doing your best.
Session 3: Creating Harmony
Perfect balance with all your many roles (wife, mother, employee, or whatever fits your individual situation), is an unrealistic goal. Creating harmony among all your roles, however, is not only possible: Shoshana helps her clients do it on a daily basis – and it feel great! In addition, this session can help you create ways to manage your expectations in a realistic way so that your new role as a mother can integrate healthfully with the "you" before you were a mom.
Although the program was created for new moms with the baby blues, it is clearly a program that can help any new mom. Following the steps in this program can also minimize the risk of postpartum depression. That is why people are calling these "the new mom's survival CDs!".
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