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    Does Therapy for “Baby Blues” Work?
    by Katherine Jewett on October 31, 2020

    Having a baby is one of the most amazing and awesome events in a person’s life. Babies bring joy and laughter into the house. But the reality is, they also bring sleepless nights and inevitable and irreversible change.

    Having a baby also brings changes to a woman’s body. During pregnancy and right after, a woman will experience shifts in her hormones. This may cause her to feel some depression and anxiety. This is a perfectly natural response to the event and is called having the “baby blues.”

    But how do you tell if what you are experiencing is the “baby blues” or postpartum depression (PPD)?

    As I mentioned, the baby blues is a very normal reaction. While the symptoms of anxiety and depression don’t feel good, they are mild and typically only last about two weeks.

    Should symptoms worsen or last longer than two weeks, a new mother is considered to have PPD and encouraged to seek care and guidance from a mental health professional.

    Can new fathers experience “baby blues?”

    You may be surprised to learn that rates of depression among new fathers are very similar to those among new mothers. While male depression and anxiety are not a result of fluctuating hormones, their experience is very real.

    How New Parents Can Get Relief from “Baby Blues”

    One of the best ways new parents can cope with the initial baby blues is to find support from friends and family. This is particularly true when the couple has had their first child. This support will ensure both mom and dad can get some much-needed rest in those first few weeks. After this time, they will have gotten their “sea legs” and feel a bit more confident with their parenting instincts.

    It’s also important that both parents try and eat right during this time. Try not to rely solely on fast food and other processed food items that may give you a quick burst of “fake” energy, only to have your energy and mood crash later. And it’s important to also take a bit of exercise. This will keep your body feeling good and help the release of natural “feel-good” endorphins.

    And finally, it may help to speak with a therapist. He or she can help you navigate your strong emotions and offer strategies to cope with being new parents.

    If you or someone you know is a new parent and would like to explore treatment options, please get in touch with me. I would be more than happy to discuss how I may help.

     

    SOURCES:

    • https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mommy-mental-health/200902/baby-blues-or-postpartum-depression
    • https://www.webmd.com/depression/postpartum-depression/news/20180809/new-dads-can-get-the-baby-blues-too
    • https://psychcentral.com/lib/new-baby-blues-or-postpartum-depression/

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    Does Therapy for “Baby Blues” Work?
    by Katherine Jewett on October 31, 2020

    Having a baby is one of the most amazing and awesome events in a person’s life. Babies bring joy and laughter into the house....

    0 Comments Read the full article →

    Are You Doing Self-Care All Wrong?
    by Katherine Jewett on October 29, 2020

    The topic of self-care is one that has been discussed openly and often over the past decade. But for many, the concept of self-care...

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    What is Therapeutic Mediation?
    by Katherine Jewett on October 27, 2020

    When you think of mental health therapists, you probably don’t equate them with a lawyer. But you’d be surprised how much these two professions...

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    De-stigmatizing Mental Health Therapy for IPOC
    by Katherine Jewett on October 25, 2020

    Mental health issues such as depression and anxiety can and do affect people of all ages, economic backgrounds, and nationalities. And yet, many indigenous...

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    Mental Health Therapy for Frontline Workers
    by Katherine Jewett on October 22, 2020

    None of us were prepared for the global pandemic we find ourselves in. Not parents, teachers, and certainly not the healthcare workers around the...

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    Intuitive Eating During COVID-19
    by Katherine Jewett on October 20, 2020

    COVID-19 can be compared to freshmen year of college – it’s stressful, you feel overwhelmed, and it’s way too easy to pack on an...

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    Coping with Seasonal Affective Disorder
    by Katherine Jewett on September 24, 2020

    Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is a major depressive disorder that occurs during the same season each year. Also known as the “winter blues,”...

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    Why Every Man Should See a Therapist
    by Katherine Jewett on September 19, 2020

    While women are often the ones who seek therapy, typically making up nearly two-thirds of therapy patients, multiple studies have shown that men benefit...

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    What Determines Gender Identity and How Can Parents Help?
    by Katherine Jewett on September 18, 2020

    What makes someone feel they have been born into the wrong body? Gender identity is a prominent topic these days thanks to the transgender...

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    What is Your Stomach Telling You? Intuitive Eating Explained.
    by Katherine Jewett on September 16, 2020

    Hate dieting? Then this may be the best blog post you have ever read! If you’re one of those people who has always had...

    0 Comments Read the full article →
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    Katherine Jewett, MA LMFT #83521
    395 Taylor Blvd, Suite 220
    Pleasant Hill, CA 94523

    925-322-1681
    katherine@timetothrivetherapy.com

    Katherine Jewett
    katherine@timetothrivetherapy.com | 925-322-1681

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