Managing Big Emotions During the Postpartum Period
Welcoming a new baby into your life is a momentous occasion, often bringing a rollercoaster of emotions. It's common to feel excitement and happiness alongside fear, worry and uncertainty. These shifting emotions are a natural and an expected part of adjusting to your new reality. You may have noticed some changes and wondered if they are “normal”. Below I’ll share some changes that are commonly seen during the postpartum period.
Hormonal Changes
Hormonal shifts are a significant factor in the emotional changes that many new moms experience. After childbirth, the levels of hormones like estrogen and progesterone drop suddenly, which can affect mood and emotional stability. For example, you might feel joyful one moment and tearful the next without a clear reason. These changes are inevitable in the post partum period and can be challenging to manage.
Mental Health Considerations
Taking care of your mental health is a crucial during this transition. Postpartum depression and anxiety are common conditions that many new parents experience. Recognizing these symptoms and proactively seeking support can make a significant difference in your well-being.
Symptoms of Postpartum Depression and/or Anxiety May Include:
Persistent sadness or mood swings
Excessive worry or anxiety (imagining the worst-case scenario)
Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much
Loss of interest in things that usually bring you joy
Changes in appetite
Feeling overwhelmed or unable to cope
Trouble bonding with your baby
Irritability or anger
Difficulty concentrating and focusing
Muscle tension (grinding teeth, muscle twitching)
Avoiding certain activities, people, or places
Emotions and the Nervous System
Emotions are essential signals that something requires your attention. By paying attention to your emotions, you can gain valuable insights into your inner state, your environment, and your interactions with others, ultimately guiding your decisions and actions in meaningful ways.
However, sometimes emotions can feel overwhelming and difficult to manage. When big emotions occur, our body’s sympathetic nervous system is activated. This system signals that something significant is happening and that you need to survive by fighting, fleeing, freezing, or fawning. When your sympathetic nervous system is activated, your thinking brain shuts down (Ruth et al., 2018).
A key strategy to address sympathetic nervous system activation is to regulate your nervous system and reach a less emotionally overwhelming state before acting. This can be achieved by engaging the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps your body know that things are okay so your thinking brain can effectively navigate your situation.
Strategies to Manage Big Emotions
Engaging your parasympathetic nervous system can be done through various emotional regulation skills, such as progressive muscle relaxation, relaxation breathing, exercise, and grounding techniques (Shankarappa et al., 2021).
I invite you to try a relaxation breathing technique called belly breathing, which helps when you feel overwhelmed and anxious.
Find a comfortable position and place one hand on your sternum and the other hand on your belly. You'll use your hands to monitor what muscles you are using and how you are breathing.
Open your mouth and let out a long sigh, dropping your shoulders as if you are making the sigh dramatic. The idea is to keep your upper body relaxed while breathing.
Close your mouth and inhale through your nose while pushing out with your stomach. Imagine filling your stomach with air rather than your lungs.
Pause and hold your breath for a comfortable amount of time.
Exhale through your mouth, pulling your stomach in to release all the air from your lungs.
Repeat for several cycles and notice how your body feels and what sensations you experience.
Upcoming Webinar: Surfing the Journey of Motherhood
To support you during this transformative time, colleagues from Panorama Wellness Group and I are offering a webinar series, "Surfing the Journey of Motherhood." This series will provide valuable insights and strategies for navigating the physical, mental and emotional waves of parenthood. If you're interested in joining us, please see the details here
To Learn More
As a Registered Clinical Counsellor with the Panorama Wellness Group, I recognize that adjusting to life after a welcoming a new baby is a significant and often challenging journey. If you're interested in individual counselling to support you through this journey, we can set up a free 15-minute phone consultation or a full session so that you can see if we are a good fit. To learn about me and the services I provide, please visit my bio here: https://panoramawellness.ca/jodi-bridges
