One of the top comments I hear from my postpartum clients is that they don’t feel a connection with their partner after they bring their baby home. You’re exhausted, you’re busy, your time is not your own. You and your partner are trying to find a new rhythm that works for you and your family. It is easy for your relationship to go on the back burner. But your relationship existed before you became parents and it’s important to invest in that relationship. And the good news is- it doesn’t have to be a hard endeavor to take on.
Surviving a postpartum mood disorder after your first child can throw a wrench into your plans. It can be hard to imagine having a baby again without knowing the potential of experiencing a Postpartum Mood Disorder (PMD) for the second time.
Unfortunately, no one can for sure say what the odds are of experiencing a PMD after having your second child. What can be said is that someone who has experienced a postpartum mood disorder after the birth of their first child is likely to experience a mood disorder after their second child is born. So instead of asking, “Will I get a PMD again?”, we can instead ask, “How can I be prepared if I were to get a PMD again?”.
Do you feel like all you do is yell? Does your anger overflow? Do you get mad and scream at your kids when they are playing? If you answered yes to these questions, you might be experiencing Mommy Rage. Yes, this is a real thing and is more common than you think.
Moms need more support and space to talk about their emotions without feeling judgment, shame, or the fear of losing their children. We want you to know that it is okay to experience big emotions, and learning to regulate and deregulate yourself is essential and helps model behavior for your children as they confront their big feelings.
The fourth trimester is defined as the twelve weeks following the birth of a baby. It is an intense 3 month period where both parents and their infant undergo numerous physical and emotional changes. Parents often feel sleep-deprived, stressed, and overwhelmed. Many also carry unrealistic expectations about what it takes to be an optimal parent for their child. Unsurprisingly tensions tend to rise in interpersonal relationships when individuals are not operating at their best and have so much pressure on themselves to be nothing short of perfect.
Love is a form of expression shared between individuals and one of the greatest gifts you can give your children is acknowledging the way they identify love. Just like adults, kids give and receive love in their own unique way. When parents are able to recognize the language in which their children feel loved, they are able to tweak their expression of love so it’s delivered in a way that the child can process it without delay, the level of support they receive is endless.