Baby blues: what is it?
Although you recently gave birth and you are delighted by this happy event, you cannot help but cry. A classic and benign situation that goes by the name of baby blues.
The baby blues (or "third day syndrome"),appears in the first days after childbirth. It is due to a hormonal drop with all the physiological changes that entails while being accentuated by emotional fragility linked to fatigue and the stress of childbirth.
It is characterized by a relatively short duration, sometimes only a few hours, up to ten days.
When the baby blues starts to last and that the condition of the young mother, or the young father, even if the cases are more rare, does not improve, we can suspect a more serious depression. It is manifested by a sadness that sets in. The young mother seems to lose interest in her daily life, her loved ones, even herself and her child. She may lose her appetite, sleep, the desire to go out. Little by little, she withdraws and feels overwhelmed by her new life. This reaction can also occur a few weeks to a few months after the baby arrives. It is due to physiological changes, but also to upheavals due to the arrival of the toddler. It can occur even in mothers who have had children before. In addition, some women feel guilty for not feeling only joy or love, which can accentuate the baby blues.
Grieving the dream or fantasy child
The arrival of a baby is an event that is generally ardently desired, marked by physical and psychological expectation. However, when a woman gives birth, she must, on the one hand, mourn her pregnancy and, on the other hand, mourn the child she had imagined to have. During the baby blues, there is then a mixture of very ambiguous feelings, between the mourning of the dream child and the intense satisfaction of finally having your baby. This highly enjoyable and invested event can elicit an intense emotional reaction.
Baby blues: without consequences on the mother-child relationship
80-90% of new mothers have a bout of tears or at least some crying after giving birth.
This frequent episode after childbirth is of no consequence and does not influence the mother-child relationship. However, if the symptoms persist beyond two weeks after delivery or intensify, it is better to talk to your midwife or doctor. This can, in fact, be a sign of the onset of postnatal depression.
