Bringing a new life into this world is a miraculous and life-changing experience. However, for many mothers, the postpartum period can be a challenging time. Postpartum Depression is a common experience for new mothers, with up to 1 in 5 women experiencing it after giving birth. While it's often viewed as a negative experience, there's beauty behind Postpartum Depression that many fail to recognize.
Society's Expectations vs. Natural Motherhood
In our society, women are often expected to "bounce back" after giving birth. They're supposed to be strong, capable, and able to take care of their newborns without any help. However, the reality is that motherhood is a challenging journey, and it's okay to need support. Postpartum Depression is a way of slowing us down and forcing us to take a break. It's a reminder that we need to take care of ourselves in order to take care of our babies.
Understanding the Spiritual Significance of Postpartum Depression
From a spiritual perspective, Postpartum Depression is actually a necessary part of the motherhood journey. It's a rite of passage that helps us connect with our inner selves and transform into the mothers we were meant to be. The hormone changes that occur during the postpartum period are designed to help us adapt to motherhood and bond with our babies. Postpartum Depression is a part of this process, and it's important to embrace it rather than fight against it.
Alternative Healing for Postpartum Depression
While mainstream medicine often focuses on treating Postpartum Depression with medication, there are alternative approaches that can be equally effective. Mind-body practices like yoga and meditation can help us connect with our bodies and alleviate symptoms of depression. Therapy and counseling can help us process our emotions and work through any trauma or issues that may be contributing to our depression.
Embracing Postpartum Depression as a Natural Part of Motherhood
Instead of viewing Postpartum Depression as a negative experience that needs to be fixed, we can choose to see it as a natural part of the motherhood journey. By embracing our Postpartum Depression, we can learn more about ourselves, connect with our babies on a deeper level, and emerge from the experience stronger and more resilient than ever before.
Keeping Baby Close During Postpartum Depression
When we allow ourselves to experience the transformative journey of motherhood, we learn to listen to our body and soul. Postpartum Depression may be a tool that helps us tune in and take care of ourselves and our baby. Keeping our baby close, either through babywearing or co-sleeping, can help regulate our hormones and create a deeper connection between mother and child. By staying close to our baby, we can better understand their needs, and our instincts as mothers can become stronger. It is in this closeness that we can find healing and growth.
The Restorative Power of Nature
In addition to keeping our baby close, nature can also provide a restorative environment during the postpartum period. Spending time outdoors, whether it's going for a walk, sitting in a park, or simply breathing in fresh air, can bring a sense of calm and peace to our minds and bodies. Surrounded by nature, we can feel a sense of interconnectedness with the world around us, reminding us of the beauty and wonder of life. Being in nature can also help us slow down and embrace the present moment, which is an important aspect of postpartum healing. Whether it's the sound of a babbling brook or the rustle of leaves in the wind, the natural world has a way of soothing our souls and helping us find balance during times of transition.
My personal story
I have been through Postpartum Depression too many times after my 6 births. My brains have a hard time dealing with hormonal changes, so Postpartum Depression is - in my case - both physical and emotional. For years, I have fought against it, falling in the societal trap of seeing Postpartum Depression as a bad thing that needed to be fixed asap. This caused a ton of stress, taking away from the experience of having a new baby. An experience that should have been peaceful.
It was only with my 6th baby that I finally let go of the societal ideology of stressing over my Postpartum Depression. It was ok the way it was. Accepting my Postpartum Depression was a completely different experience. I embraced it as it was a friend that came for a visit. The beautiful kind of friend that came by and did some cleaning while I was busy bonding with my baby. I talked to it and listened in turn. It brought messages that I had never seen before and at the same time it calmed me down. It felt right going through that experience, as if it was part of the process. The rite of passage that I talked about above was a beautiful feeling. My Postpartum Depression helped me in my journey from pregnancy to being the mom of this little creature.
I wrote a post on Instagram about it while I was going through it: To the mom who has a hard time feeling happy postpartum.
Conclusion
Postpartum depression is a complex experience that affects many new mothers. While it's often viewed as a negative experience, there's beauty behind it that many fail to recognize. By understanding the spiritual significance of Postpartum Depression and embracing it as a natural part of the motherhood journey, we can emerge from the experience stronger and more connected than ever before.
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