If you have survived a traumatic experience, it’s natural that you are feeling worried about how to proceed. You may have many concerns running through your mind: How long will I feel this way? Am I supposed to seek treatment? Is it normal for me to feel like this? Whether it’s an unsettling birth experience,Continue reading “Should I be concerned about PTSD?”
Author Archives: kshanmuk
What is happening with my mood?! D-MER and Breastfeeding
What is your experience with breastfeeding? Do you feel angry or tearful as soon as you start? Is there a sense of dread when you begin another pumping session? How intense is your anxiety during these moments? When it comes to nursing, there are many parents who enjoy the experience and feel it’s an opportunityContinue reading “What is happening with my mood?! D-MER and Breastfeeding”
Support for the avoidant parent
Sure, you and your partner have talked about having a child. In theory, it seemed fine. But now that your baby has arrived, it feels harder than you ever expected. It is exhausting trying to connect with this unresponsive baby. It feels like everytime you pick up your child, he or she knows to screamContinue reading “Support for the avoidant parent”
Will I have postpartum depression again?
For anyone who has survived postpartum depression, you know how painful and unsettling life felt after your baby arrived. During that first year, you are overwhelmed with feelings of irritability, helplessness, anger, rage, sadness, and anxiety (just to name a few). The fear of ever facing this experience again causes many parents to hesitate aboutContinue reading “Will I have postpartum depression again?”
Building a bond with your baby: Strategies to help when you struggle with postpartum mental health
When it comes to postpartum mental health, many parents struggle to building a connection with their little ones. There may be feelings of resentment that our lives have changed. You may feel too tired to want to play or sing nurseries. Your anxiety feels too high for you to be comfortable spending time alone withContinue reading “Building a bond with your baby: Strategies to help when you struggle with postpartum mental health”
“They’d be better off without me”: Suicide and Postpartum Mental Health
“They’d be better off without me.” “I can’t do this. What am I doing here?” “How am I supposed to do this everyday for the rest of my life?” I hear sentences like these frequently in my work with postpartum parents. It is heartbreaking and I know that when someone gets to this place ofContinue reading ““They’d be better off without me”: Suicide and Postpartum Mental Health”
A Note for all “Mothers”
On Mother’s Day, we are bombarded with social media posts doting on all the maternal figures in our lives. While there is no denying that there are some fantastic mothers out there, not all of us feel lucky to have this type of positive influence. Many mothers do not feel confident enough to call themselvesContinue reading “A Note for all “Mothers””
Postpartum Rage: I am going to lose it!
I feel like society normalizes feeling overwhelmed, insecure, and stressed as a new parent. While our society is more compassionate towards these vulnerabilities, there is much less acceptance when it comes to our anger. Postpartum rage is a common occurrence during the first year with a baby. It can show up as a symptom ofContinue reading “Postpartum Rage: I am going to lose it!”
Working through the Baby Blues
Many postpartum parents can attest that the first two weeks after delivery can feel like a nightmare. With the numerous changes that a parent experiences (e.g. hormones, sleep patterns, feeding schedule, diaper changes, etc), those initial days are about surviving the storm. Unfortunately, for many of us, adapting to these new changes can feel likeContinue reading “Working through the Baby Blues”
Working with unwanted feelings
When I am feeling anxious, unhappy or generally lousy, I hate the idea of mindfully noticing these unwanted feelings. There is intense resistance to “sitting with” or accepting my emotions. During these low moments, I have zero understanding or time for my feelings. My only goal is to get rid of them. I imagine manyContinue reading “Working with unwanted feelings”