What Are The Psychological Aspects Of The Puerperium?
The puerperium is defined as the stage from when the placenta is expelled until the uterus and the rest of the female reproductive system recover after delivery, or until the first menstruation appears; that is, when we speak of the puerperium, we usually refer to physical and physiological. However, we must not forget that the psychological aspects of the puerperium are of vital importance.
The puerperium is a process of physiological and undoubtedly psychological adaptation where the woman who has just given birth has to get used to a new stage in which she is no longer pregnant but is not the same as she was before becoming pregnant. There are so many psychological aspects surrounding this stage – sometimes neglected or even unknown. that some speak of the psychological puerperium itself.
Thus, the psychological puerperium is nothing more than the entire psycho-emotional process that the mother must go through to rediscover herself, transform herself and emotionally meet her baby.
What do we adapt to?
Having a baby transforms the life, routine and of course the body of a woman. Your body changes drastically and this is reflected in a sea of uncontrolled hormones that cause an excess of emotional sensitivity that can manifest itself with changes in mood or intensity in the expression of anger, sadness, joy, etc.
These psychological aspects of the puerperium, far from being a problem, are a necessity since during this stage all your senses will be open to know your baby and his emotions and thus better respond to his needs.
At no time in life will any being depend more on you than during the first year of your child’s life. This can be really tiring, especially with a sore body from birth. A baby is a storm of needs to satisfy 24 hours a day, which will force you many times to put aside your own needs, especially those of hunger and sleep.
Tuning in with your baby and getting to know him in depth will take time. Learning to decipher crying, when to feed it or how and how to sleep it will be a challenge that you will have to face. It is a bonding process that requires time and concentration on the part of both of you.
If you add to this that life goes on and you have to do housework, have visitors, take care of your older children or go back to work, it is understandable that most women experience feelings of sadness like the baby blues or sit psychologically overwhelmed.
Because the social and family situations that each woman faces are different, and that each woman has different emotional tools to deal with them, the psychological puerperium (or the psychological aspects of the puerperium) does not have a defined duration, although in general terms this process adaptation can last between one and two years.
How to handle the psychological aspects of the puerperium?
The support and understanding of the couple and the family is essential to regain our balance and emerge triumphant. In addition, to help you in this process, we want to leave you the following recommendations:
- Find information and prepare for the birth; This doesn’t just refer to buying baby clothes and furniture. It is important that you imagine yourself in your new routine and anticipate everyday life situations (such as thinking about who is going to cook, who is going to take care of your older children the first days after giving birth, you are informed about the breastfeeding process or the most common problems of newborns).
- Accept all the help that friends and family offer you. The puerperium is not the time to try to prove to yourself or anyone else that you can do everything. Having a support network is very important and can make a big difference in how you cope with the puerperium.
- Apply the golden rule of the puerperium: ” baby sleeps, mom sleeps. ” Take advantage of all the opportunities you have to rest; In addition, your partner will be able to collaborate with the housework and manage the visits so that you do not waste these precious moments.
- Express your feelings, unburden yourself. Talk to your partner to help him understand you or get in touch with people who are going through the same stage to share experiences.
- Seek and ask for specialized help if you need it. Although all women experience many emotional changes, in some cases it is essential to seek professional support in time to avoid falling into problems such as postpartum depression.
Every transformation process puts our emotional tools to the test, as this implies becoming someone different. However, keep in mind that being a mother is the best opportunity to grow personally, mature and renew yourself. With rest, emotional support and information you can do it.
