Multiple Fronts Of Mother's Mental Health
Motherhood is a life-changing gift. However, every mother goes through their own unique experience, and sometimes a new baby can bring a range of emotions. Many women might feel overpowered, low, nervous, or worried while carrying the child and even after childbirth. For a considerable number of women, these feelings do get better on their own as time goes by, but for some women, these emotions are more severe and may last for a longer time. Without proper intervention, poor maternal mental health can have adverse implications and long-term effects on a woman's overall well-being and on their family.
As new mothers, juggling between family, society, and, more importantly, self-grown expectations is a heavy load and can become overwhelming when a new baby is added into the mix. In addition, the recovering body, hormones, bodily changes, sleepless nights, and new maternal responsibilities all feed into the constant pressure once the baby is born. Unfortunately, it's very difficult to identify if a new mother is having a mental challenge, but it is always best to have a mental support system to be in the best mentally stable version of oneself and the newborn.
In women, most of the time mental health challenges arise as a direct result of gender role expectations from the family and the surroundings. With constant expectations from today’s mothers to be perfect in every way, the guilt starts setting in from pregnancy itself and can become adverse once mothers start doubting themselves and their decisions regarding the wellness of their child and family. This can at times result in high anxiety levels and even lead to postpartum depression, which many women go through.
The new decade has brought new challenges for mothers that impact their own and their children’s overall well-being. For example, Covid-19, pollution, increasing anxiety amongst kids, and the negative influence of the media can become even more difficult for working moms due to the added stress of their job. Women have a lot, whether it be office work or household chores and motherhood is not easy, especially in the early phases where the kids need to be given high attention.
It is essential to discover a mindful space and easy ways that mothers could use to improve their mental wellbeing. The journey to improve one's mental health starts by accepting that it’s okay to not be ok. We have our Good and our Bad days and Motherhood changes it completely. It takes time to figure out things.
Two things mothers could work on:
Take out small breaks throughout the day: It might not be possible for all the mothers to go off for days or weeks, but short pauses can help. Taking a quick break between work, preparing food, going for a walk in the evening, chatting with friends, or enjoying a cup of tea peacefully can-do wonders.
Add recreational activity to the routine: Mandala, music, quick baking, or even stretching, making it a part of the routine can benefit. Actively participating in activities that one enjoys because the time one has with oneself is the most important. Walking is a good start point, step out in the sunshine and soak in all the goodness.
Keeping one’s mind fit is important. A good conversation with loved ones has the power of releasing stress, seeing a new perspective and strengthening relationships.
So Momma’s, don’t be hard on yourselves. You are marvelous. Remember you are not alone.
