Postpartum begins
immediately after birth and lasts, well, some
would say it lasts all your life. The postpartum
period is a time of change. With the new baby come
sleepless nights, sore breasts and tears (for both
mom and baby). Excitement quickly turns into
exhaustion and schedules are thrown into the
wind. Activities include diaper changes,
feedings, more diaper changes, the occasional
shower and a few precious but irregular hours of
sleep. The routine is not the only thing that has
changed. Physical and hormonal transformations
are a significant part of postpartum and can
affect many aspects of a woman’s life. All of
this requires an adjustment period. Certainly,
the first few months after the baby’s birth can be
described as an adaptation process.
The
loss:
Not only are
women adapting to a motherload of changes, they
are also grieving the loss of their pre-baby life
and their pre-baby body. In her study Loss,
Happiness and Postpartum Depression: The Ultimate
Paradox, Paula Nicholson describes the
emotional paradox women experience in postpartum.
She explains that while women are happy to be
mothers to their children, they are also grieving
the loss of “autonomy and time, appearance,
femininity and sexuality, and occupational
identity.”
Planning
for post-partum:
Your
ability to cope with all of these changes will
depend on many factors. And, having a good social
support network is at the top of the list.
Studies have proven the effectiveness of social
support in postpartum. Some of the more modern
sources available to new moms include play groups
and breastfeeding groups where women can interact
and share common experiences. There are on-line
chat groups for new mothers, pregnant women and
even wanna-be pregnant women. Women can hire
postpartum Doulas to help with housework, provide
breastfeeding support and a listening ear. These
forms of support are community-based and help
expand social networks.
Building
an effective postpartum support network:
In order for a
social support network to be effective, you need
to have several different sources. They can
include a church or community group, relatives, a
partner or friends. It is important that you
consider these sources helpful and that you feel
comfortable calling upon them for help. When you
are planning your network, remember that you will
need both emotional and practical help Here are a
few suggestions in getting started:
ü
call your local health unit to find out about play
groups, breastfeeding groups etc.
ü check
your local listings for parent resource centres
and toy lending libraries
ü contact
your relatives and friends to find out their
availability
If you are
already postpartum, it is never too late to start
building or expanding your social support
network. It is an investment that will last a
lifetime.
References:
1.
Nicolson, P. (1999). Loss, Hapiness, and
Postpartum Depression: The Ultimate Paradox.
Canadian Psychology, Vol. 40, No. 2, 162-178.
2.
Fox, B., Worts, D. (1999). Revisiting
the critique of medicalized childbirth: A
contribution to the sociology of birth. Gender
and Society, Vol. 13, Issue 3, 326-346.
3.
Lee, C. (1997). Social context,
depression and the transition to motherhood.
Journal of Health Psychology, 2, 93-108.
4.
Collins, N., Dunkel-Schetter, C., Lobel,
M., Scrimshaw, S.C.M. (1993). Social Support
in Pregnancy: Psychosocial Correlates of Birth
Outcomes and Postpartum Depression. Journal of
Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 65, No. 6,
1243-1258.
5.
Ford, Gillian. Listening to Your
Hormones. California: Prima Publishing, 1997.
6.
Kitzinger, Sheila. The Year After
Childbirth: Surviving and Enjoying the First Year.
New York: Harper Collins, 1994.
7.
Lim, Robin. After the Baby’s Birth…A
Woman’s Way to Wellness: A Complete Guide for
Postpartum Women. California: Celestial
Arts, 2001.
