Contents:
- Medical Video: Postpartum Depression: What You Need to Know
- What is the baby blues?
- Baby blues that happen to father
- What can you do to overcome the baby blues for your father?
- 1. Give understanding to one another
- 2. Stay away from thoughts and negative people
- 3. Consult a doctor and expert
Medical Video: Postpartum Depression: What You Need to Know
Not only mothers who experience the baby blues, in fact many fathers also experience it. A new study published in the Journal Pediatric found that a father can also experience postpartum distress syndrome or commonly known as the baby blues, in the early weeks of the baby's birth.
What is the baby blues?
Baby blues are a change in mood and your emotions, which occur after giving birth.Symptoms that arise when the mother experiences the baby blues include easy sadness, loss of appetite, weak helplessness, and guilt appears. This is all caused by hormonal changes.
Baby blues in women, usually associated with hormonal changes after she gave birth, and usually lasts not long, only about a few weeks in early pregnancy.
If stress is experienced for a long time and is increasingly dangerous, it is feared to be a symptom postpartum depression. At this stage of depression, there needs to be further action by a doctor or psychologist.
Baby blues that happen to father
Baby blues that occur in fathers are different from the baby blues that occur due to hormonal changes in women. Men who become fathers certainly do not experience the phase of pregnancy or childbirth. Well, what happens here is a change in inner turmoil, where it is common and can change the state of a father.
There are many factors that can contribute to a man's depression when he is a father. The following are the 3 most common things that usually happen:
- Not ready to be a father. Usually, this is triggered by concerns about new responsibilities. For those of you who experience, maybe you will think that you have a living dependency, namely family. In addition, many fathers think that this is the end of your free time as yourself.
- Money worries. It's natural and common for men who are worried about financial problems that will be faced. Moreover, if you are the only one who works to make money.
- Afraid of new roles. Here, you might be worried and wonder, would you be a good father or not? Especially if you have bad memories in childhood about your father's figure, or you want to be a different parent for your child later.
In addition to the three things that are feared for the new father figure above, a study has looked at 5000 families related to the baby blues syndrome. Out of 5000 people, 10% of new fathers are said to have a higher baby blues level than syndrome postpartum others.
This important discovery, must be known to you new parents. Why is that? Isn't this normal? Yes, it is natural, but there is a big impact that must be addressed by experts. Father can't just ignore this baby blues syndrome.
This syndrome can affect the happiness and harmony of a new family, because you will be difficult to give support to your wife (who will definitely also experience hormonal changes). Then, the father also cannot enjoy his role with the newborn baby. Obviously, if this is left too long, it can become postpartum syndrome the more dangerous the impact.
What can you do to overcome the baby blues for your father?
1. Give understanding to one another
If your partner has baby blues syndrome like this, it is important to identify it first. Try to overcome the problem by talking from heart to heart. Listen to your partner empathetically to find out the anxiety and fear of your partner. As much as possible, put yourself in his position so that you can understand your partner well. Try to encourage your partner to share, and be a person who can be relied on in this moment of silence.
2. Stay away from thoughts and negative people
Not everyone can understand this baby blues feeling. Try communicating with people who have an open and positive mind. Certainly, there are those who underestimate your condition, thus adding to depression. Okay, stay away from them for a while.
It is also important to always ask for advice and opinions from friends, relatives, or even parents themselves who might have been in the same conditions. As much as possible don't let yourself be alone. When you are alone, negative thoughts easily haunt you. When you are with other people, your mind will be diverted to other things.
3. Consult a doctor and expert
If this happens for a long time and you cannot complete it yourself, it is strongly recommended to contact a doctor, psychologist or therapist. Chances are you will get antidepressant drugs or are advised to take counseling. You need not be embarrassed to seek help for your mental problems. Like physical illness, psychiatric problems are natural. Finding help is an important step so that you can return to functioning well in your family and live happily.
