The birth of a child is a wondrous and glorious thing. Until you bring that baby home and are responsible for keeping it alive on zero sleep for weeks and weeks. Add to this already trying scenario is the hormonal cocktail the new mother is living with and you understand why some new mothers don’t feel so blissful.
Having a baby is an event that typically brings a lot of joy and excitement for couples. However, roughly 60% of new mothers suffer from postpartum depression (PPD), with symptoms being either moderate or severe. Fortunately, PPD is becoming a more common health issue with increased discussion and content outlining the symptoms and treatment.
Mindfulness and self-compassion have become quite the buzz words in recent years. Used without careful consideration, they can lose their impact and hit the ear with the sugary sweetness of cotton candy and just about the same amount of nourishment.
Holiday season was in full swing. Cheery colors everywhere I looked, and holiday music blaring through competing speakers anytime I was in public. For many years now I have felt myself slip into various degrees of “grinchyness” as the holidays marched ever closer. Despite feeling that way, I went through the motions of putting up a tree, decorating the walls, and joining in festivities from late November through the new year. I painstakingly arranged elves, candles, wreaths, and platefuls of cookies. I wanted my kids to have the experiences, and I wanted my friends and neighbors to feel cared for and welcomed. No matter how much I tried to set my feelings aside and create the most memorable special holidays, I always felt like I fell short.
When we talk about turning toward grief, what we are talking about is deciding to respond to our grief in a way that allows us to acknowledge and interact with grief, and accept it over time. Time spent in self-reflection can allow us to develop a new way of relating to our needs that will allow us to integrate our grief and create room within ourselves to accommodate all of our emotions.
