Preventing the Baby Blues

The saying is that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and this is very true when it comes to the baby blues. It's very normal for new mothers to have some ups and downs in the early weeks after a baby is born. In fact, these ups and downs are pretty normal throughout your baby's first year of life. There are specific steps you can take to make it less likely that these normal feelings will develop into a lasting case of mild depression, or the baby blues, however.

Get Enough Sleep

I know this one is hard. In fact, I'm a mother of five. I really understand that getting enough sleep is hard. But as a mother of five I know the wisdom of the advice "sleep when the baby sleeps." You want to get as much sleep as you can. At the very least you should try and take one nap a day with your baby. You can do this throughout your child's early years (toddlers are pretty tiring too!).

If you have older children, keep them occupied while you have a short nap period. You can put a toddler safely into a playpen or crib with some toys, then lie down with the baby. You can nap while an older child is in school or preschool, or if you homeschool, schedule a quiet work period for your child while you nap.

It can be hard to fit this time in if you return to work after your baby is born. Try to make sure you're getting this nap while you're on maternity leave. If your baby is very wakeful at night after you return to work, you may want to try and take a few minutes to relax at your desk each day. Listen to a guided relaxation on headphones to relax your muscles and get some rest.

Eat Really Well

You need to eat well to take care of a baby. Pregnancy is a time of nutritional stress - your baby needed a lot from your body and your body changed a lot for him or her. After pregnancy you need to build back up your nutrient stores while taking care of a needy baby. If you're breast feeding your baby you will need good nutrition to keep your milk supply strong for your little one.

Eating well means trying to eat simpler, homemade foods. Get plenty of protein. Did you know that your body needs healthy fats for energy and fuel? Your brain and your baby's brain need a lot of fat. It's believed that one of the reasons mothers feel the baby blues or experience stronger postpartum depression is because of deficiency in essential fats. You may have heard a lot of joking about "mommy brain" -- where suddenly your brain is always foggy and you can't quite think clearly. These are also signs of a need for more fats. Get good fats like coconut oil, olive oil, animal fats, and full-fat dairy. Industrial fats like corn oil, margarine, and soybean oil are bad for your health. Fatty fish and pastured beef (cows raised eating grass) have lots of Omega-3 fatty acids, which you need a lot of.

Also get plenty of vegetables and eat fruits in season. These will give you vitamins and minerals you need (again, you need fat to make sure your body absorbs them).

It's OK to Let Thing Go

Remember that being a mom is a big job. It's okay to take a break from things. Don't feel obligated to make it to all six mommy groups every week. If you need to use paper plates and plastic utensils in the early weeks, do it without guilt! Keep the bathroom and kitchen clean, but really, you don't need your house to look like company is coming all the time. Scale back volunteering and other things until your baby is a few months old and you've adjusted to life as a new mom. Keeping a low-key, predictable routine will go a long way towards enhancing your sense of well-being.