From January 2015 to January 2016 The One Stop Shop is temporarily moving to Battersea Central Methodist Mission, 20-22 York Road, SW11 3QA


The baby blues... What are the baby blues?


The baby blues are a normal part of motherhood and are linked to hormonal changes that happen during the week after giving birth and most women will experience changes in their mood.


ONE STOP SHOP


Free information, legal advice and support for people experiencing domestic violence and abuse in Wandsworth


You may feel irritable, tearful, irrational, depressed or anxious. If these symptoms last more than two weeks and are interfering with you caring for yourself and your baby this may be a sign that you have developed post natal depression. So don’t suffer in silence, talk this through with your health professional.


It’s perfectly OK to feel both happy and fearful of this new responsibility. The reality of parenthood may not hit you until you leave the hospital and feelings of being overwhelmed and fretful are common.


To help reduce the symptoms of ‘baby blues’:-


1. Accept help: Reduce stress Do one thing at a time, multi-tasking is a myth and will only increase your stress. Delegate the housework, and don’t turn down any offers of help. Remember, stress creates adrenaline and the production of stress hormones that increase anxiety.


2. Exercise


Once you have had the all clear, start walking. A daily ten to fifteen minute walk releases neurotransmitters in the brain and makes you feel better.


CS.317b (11.14)


3. Baby asleep: Be kind to yourself Don’t fill your time with catching up on housework. Get some ZZZs, even if it’s just a 20 minute cat nap. Take a bath, eat a nutritional snack and remember alcohol is a depressant, so limit your intake.


Mondays 10am-12.30pm except Bank Holidays Battersea Arts Centre, Lavender Hill SW11 5TN


07884 340117 during opening hours www.wandsworth.gov.uk/domesticviolence


Small Steps 12 4. Mix with other parents


Even though your mind may be critical and telling you that every other mother is coping better than you, just show up anyway, regardless of what your thoughts are saying. You may just make a lifelong friend.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32