BE WELL

IMPORTANCE OF FOCUSING

ON WHOLE HEALTH AFTER BIRTH

WRITTEN BY JACKIE WOODS / PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES

Bringing a newborn home can be a wonderful and challenging experience for new and experienced moms alike. A growing family can bring much joy, but also present unique challenges. We hear a lot about taking care of ourselves during pregnancy, but it’s just as important to pay attention to your whole health after bringing a baby home.

Christine Khong, MD, is a boardcertified family medicine physician with AdventHealth Medical Group Primary Care at Prairie Village. She encourages her patients to focus on enhancing their whole health—physically, mentally, and spiritually—at all stages of life, and especially with a newborn at home.

“Creating new life can be demanding,” says Dr. Khong. “During pregnancy, women’s bodies go through many changes, and hormones affect their sleep, energy, and mood. It is important that women take care of their physical health but also their mental and emotional well-being.”

The postpartum period, defined as the six weeks after giving birth, can be one of the most difficult times for many women. Some physical challenges women face during this time

are perineal discomfort, abdominal cramping, sore breasts, and difficulty breastfeeding. They may also experience emotional distress as they try to adjust to a new normal.

“While moms expect to feel happy about their newborn, many moms also feel moody and overwhelmed,” explains Dr. Khong. “This can be due to the drop of hormones and lack of sleep.”

You may hear people call it the “baby blues,” and it is real. After bringing a newborn home, women often experience emotional distress in the form of mood swings, irritability, anxiety, and exhaustion. These symptoms usually begin two to three days after giving birth and start to improve when your baby is one to two weeks old.

However, for some moms these symptoms last longer and turn into postpartum depression. Women with postpartum depression feel hopeless, sad, worthless, and lonely, and also struggle bonding with their baby.

“If you are a new mom who isn’t eating, sleeping, or taking care of your baby because of your extreme sadness, you should talk with your doctor immediately,” advises Dr. Khong.

The best time to start thinking about ways to improve your whole health as a new mom is during your pregnancy. Dr. Khong encourages women to have an open conversation with their partner about the challenges they are about to encounter. “Have discussions about your worries and set expectations and boundaries,” says Dr. Khong. “Talk about ways your partner can be most helpful once the baby arrives.” Here are some additional tips from Dr. Khong about how new moms can keep their whole health in check.

1. Eat well-balanced meals and stay hydrated. With your focus on a new baby, it’s tempting to grab snacks that may not be the most nutritious.

Prepare and freeze some meals in advance and accept offers from family and friends to deliver meals.

Use grocery delivery services so you can keep fruits, vegetables, and healthy snacks on hand.

2. Sleep when you can. You’ve likely heard new moms say they sleep when their baby sleeps. It’s good advice and will help you feel better and make it through nightly feedings.

3. Say no to unwanted visitors or visitors who have extended their stay.

It’s an exciting time for you and your family and friends who want to see you and meet the new baby. However, you should not feel bad about restricting or limiting visitors during your first few weeks at home.

4. Go on walks once you feel up to it. Getting fresh air can help your mood.

5. Check in with yourself frequently.

Writing your feelings in a journal can be helpful. 6. Know that you are not alone. Ask for help if needed. Confide in close family members and friends, especially other moms who have experienced similar feelings. You’ll be surprised to find how many women have experienced the same challenges.

For moms who continue to struggle, it may be time to seek additional help. A good place to start is your primary care physician or ObGyn. These health care professionals can provide additional resources and ideas that can improve whole health and get you back to feeling like yourself.

AdventHealth Birth Center offers a variety of services for new and expecting mothers, including a Postpartum Emotional Support Group, the only hospital-based support group in the Kansas City metro area. The group helps women who are experiencing emotional changes before and after birth by raising awareness and providing support, resources, and education. Learn more at AdventHealthKC.com/ BirthCenter.