Baby Blues

Day three postpartum and boom. The baby blues have arrived. 

Forgot how much I hate this part. I had them with Evie and didn’t realise they would pass. I didn’t really know what the baby blues were then. I remember feeling tearful and anxious and did not like it one bit! 
Thankfully I can reassure you they do pass and knowing this second time around has helped me cope.

The NHS says ” baby blues are probably due to sudden hormonal and chemical changes taking place within your body after childbirth. Symptoms include…Feeling emotional and irrational. Bursting into tears for no apparent reason. Feeling irritable and touchy. Feeling depressed and anxious.” 

I was actually feeling like I wouldn’t get them this time. Rosie’s Birth was different and I was still on cloud 9. That was until a community midwife visited my house to check Rosie said that she looked slightly jaundice. I burst into tears! I knew there was nothing to worry about, lots of babies get a bit of jaundice. It was just something to keep an eye on. But I suddenly felt so anxious for her health.

I had a cry about the jaundice, then calmed down as The Mr reassured me. But the waterworks kept flowing that day…

When Evie fell over

When Rosie made a cute face

The thought of nighttime and a night of little sleep

Feeling bad for making the Mr do most things as I’m too sore post csection

Feeling like I just want to be with the Mr all the time and him not to go back to work the next day (he went back to work when Rosie was four days old)

Feeling like I should constantly hold Rosie otherwise she’ll be lonely in the Moses basket where she is quite happy. 

And because I’m so sore from surgery and just want to feel normal.

What a rollercoaster. One minute I feel like I’ve got this and the next I’m breaking out in tears. 

(I wrote this when it actually happened and I remember feeling so upset and anxious about the things in the above list. I read it now and it seems strange that those things caused me so much emotion. Those hormones are strong!)

I’m on a birth board and was surprised by how many women had not heard of the baby blues and we’re worrying about the way they were feeling and thinking about it, it’s something I’ve never spoken to my ‘Mummy’ friends about.I really think it is something the midwife should warn you about. To reassure you that it’s normal. And also make you aware of the difference between baby blues and PND and who to talk to if you think you may have PND.(please see the NHS website or talk to a health professional for more help and guidance on this.)

I wish I knew when I had Evie what they were and how I would feel. For me it’s a horrible feeling of anxiety, worry and stressing over the smallest of things. 

N.B Rosie is now 4 months old and I’m happy to report that the baby blues only stuck around for about three days! 

If you are experiencing the baby blues and are feeling worried or unsure, please talk to your HV. This is just my experience, yours may be different.