Beating the blues

Well, I want to share this article, from Positive Parenting magazine, vol 1 2010. You can also visit this website for other interesting articles http://www.mypositiveparenting.org/

This article was wrote by Dr Tan Ay Eeng, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist

Feeling low after childbirth is common, but letting the feelings linger can be damaging. Find out how you can beat the blues before the blues beat you

Postpartum blues, also known as baby blues, are the common but mild form of depression a new mother experiences after labour and delivery. It usually develops within the first two weeks following childbirth. However, bear in mind that postpartum blues is not an illness and will automatically disappear on its own.

What causes it?

The exact causes of postpartum blues are unknown, but many believe that the dramatic physical dan hormonal chnages in the mother's body may produce chemical chnages in the brain that results in the blues.

Husbands, Take note!

The symptoms of postpartum blues are rather mild, yet they can take a toll on your wife. Women who generally have low self-esteem, lack emotional support and have unreal perceptions of motherhood are at higher risk for experiencing postpartum blues. Here are symptoms that you should look for if you think your wife has developed postpartum blues :

• Depressed mood
• Have difficulties in sleeping
• Inability to enjoy pleasurable activities
• Feelings of inadequacy as a parent
• Fatigue

Chasing the blues away

After giving birth, you may feel exhausted, uncomfortable and sleep-deprived. Here are several steps you can take to beat the blues :

• Ensure you get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation can excerbate the blues. In fact, research has shown that sleep deprivation causes the brain's emotional centres to be 60% more reactive. So, make an effort to rest. Even a ten-minute nap can do wonders to lift up your mood
• Talk to people. Do not be ashamed to share your feelings with your partner. When you share what you are feeling, it helps you to feel less overwhelmed. In fact, moms can consider joining support groups as this allows them to voice out their feelings and emotions in an educational and supportive environment
• Allow yourself to cry. If you want to cry, let it out. Crying is actually a form off communication and believe it or not, crying is therapeutic and helps to relieve you of your tension and stress. Suppressing your emotions can only serve to prolong the blues
• Eat healthy. What you can eat does affect your mood. Keep track of what you are eating. Studies have shown that foods that are high in omega 3 like soybeans, walnuts, tofu and sardines can help to elevate your mood

What happen if the blues worsen?

If the blues do not lift in two weeks, there is big possibility that you may be experiencing something more severe called postnatal depression. Seek medical attention immediately as staying in a prolonged state of postnatal depression can negatively interfere with your parenting experience

Tiring day

Hi there,

Today is a tiring, boring day. Wake up so early, doing houseworks. Then rushing ironing and preparing my daughter's bag. And now at work, boring and fed up with non-sense problem : no internet connection, can't do printing, can't even send or open my email. So many tasks waiting in the list but nothing can be done.

What a full of boring stuff day!

Vacation to Cameron Highlands

Hi there,

It's been so long I didn't update this blog. I'm very busy with works and kids. Well, I'm going to share my experience going on vacation with my husband and kids recently.

My husband was on outstation (Papua New Guinea) for more than a month in June 2009. Kids missed him very much. My daughter missed him more, I guess. She's having high fever and always cried searching for her father every morning when she woke up.

Due to that, my husband and I planned to go for 3 days vacation to Cameron Higlands, our most preverred place for vacation, after he came back from Papua New Guinea. we love this place very much and this is the place where we go for our first and second honeymoon.

So, the planned became real in early of July. This time we stayed at Equatorial Hotel which is situated at the highest accessible point at Cameron Highlands. If I'm not mistaken, this hotel is about 1,500 metres above the sea level. This hotel is surrounded by beautiful mountains and vegetable farms. It also has beautiful garden that is loved by my kids. They love to be there, running around while eating strawberry.

Surrounded by mountains and vegetable farms

Beautiful, well planted garden

Heritage Hotel

My husband and I used to stay at Heritage Hotel during our first honey moon trip. This is another beautiful hotel. It is a unique, tudor style hotel located at Tanah Rata. However, for this time of visit, Equatorial Hotel is our preferable choice.

Bharat Tea Shop

Our compulsory place to visit is the Bharat Tea Shop. It is situated just beside the main road between Tanah Rata and Habu and it is very easy to access. We can shop variaties of tea and souvenir here and can have a relaxing views of tea plantation while sipping tea.

My son is crying, waiting for his father, at Bharat Tea Shop

Vegetable stalls

Then, we went to Habu. We bought cabbage and sweet corn there. Habu is famous with vegetable farms and vegetable stalls.

Bee farm

This is another interesting place to go. Instead of it's bee farming, it also offers various product from honey. Here is my kids's foto, sitting calmly for the photo to be taken. They really enjoyed this vacation, with their father :)

Kea Farm

Is situated near to Equatorial hotel. Kea Farm offers various products which is locally produced. We can shop vegetables, fruits, shirts, souvenir, strawberry based products, strawberry pillows etc. We bought mugs with strawberry pictures printed on it :)

Butterfly farm

Another place we won't miss to go. This farm is situated not far from Kea Farm and Equatorial Hotel, along the way downhill to Tringkap. We can experience of having rabble of butterflies flying around. And not to forget, the rabbits!! My daughter loves 'em very much.

Rose Valley

The most memorable place for me myself. This is the place where our lovable pictureas taken during our honey moon trip to Cameron Highlands. The picture is still hanged beautifully, strategically in our bedroom, just to remind us on how sweet to be in love.

We can find more than 400 varieties of roses in all shapes and sizes here. I love the black and light blue rose.

Well, Cameron will always be the most preferable place for us to go for vacation. There are many other places which I don't put inside this blog. And this is the most enjoyable trip after being a mother to 2 kids.