Life

How To Reduce Postpartum Anxiety & Start Feeling Like You Again

by Autumn Jones

After having a baby, it's common to feel more worried than usual. During pregnancy, you may have been eating for two, but now that the baby is out in the world, you find yourself stressing for two. However, when everyday worries and stresses become constant and overwhelming, you may be crossing over into the territory of postpartum anxiety, which is a condition that needs tending to in order to improve. Discovering how to reduce postpartum anxiety is a game changer for moms who are struggling to do their best to cope. Helping yourself manage this condition is crucial to your overall health.

According to Parents magazine, left untreated, postpartum anxiety can interfere with your bond to your baby, affect your sleep, and continue the cycle of anxious thinking patterns. With so much at stake, you can see why it's important to find methods of reducing the anxiety that work for you. Discovering what's going to help you most may take a little trial and error, but there are a few standard ideas that medical professionals suggest for mothers dealing with postpartum anxiety. The website for U.S. News and World Report, beginning sessions with a counselor for cognitive behavioral therapy is the first step for moms with postpartum anxiety.

Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, is "short-term, goal-oriented psychotherapy treatment that takes a hands-on, practical approach to problem-solving," as Psych Central explained. Which means moms with postpartum anxiety can find solutions to manage those anxious feelings when they start to take over. Using the strategies you learn with a counselor is an extremely useful tool for treatment of this condition. In addition to CBT, there are ways to reduce your postpartum anxiety that you can incorporate into your daily life.

One of the most effective ways to manage anxiety is with relaxation techniques, according to the website for Healthy Place. All you need is 20 minutes of time dedicated to a method of relaxation to see results. You can go the traditional route with meditation, yoga, and walking in nature, or you can try technology's answer to anxiety: apps. As Healthline reported, there are many useful apps for reducing anxiety that you can have available to you anywhere you go. Chose from relaxing sounds, guided relaxations, and acupressure how-to's to always have a solution for your anxiety at your fingertips.

Trying CBT and using regular relaxation techniques can work wonders for most women with postpartum anxiety. But there are some cases that call for medication to ease the constant worrying. As Dr. Elisabeth Fitelson, M.D., told Parents, "the use of medications needs to be determined on a case-by-case basis," and may be the most effective options for some mothers.

Taking steps to reduce the anxious feelings that can accompany the postpartum stage helps to keep you healthy, which is necessary for being the type of mom you strive to be. Finding a professional to talk to and making daily relaxation a priority are two ways to start feeling more in control. Stay in touch with you doctor throughout the process, and know in time, you'll find the solution that helps get you through.