The changes that are involved in becoming a parent are tremendous. No new mother or father can be completely prepared for having their life turned upside down by a tiny gorgeous creature that is completely dependent and evokes intense feelings and responses from them. If they could figure out how to find time for therapy, many new parents could benefit from either individual or couples therapy to process and adjust to all the changes. I urge you to check out the resources I have gathered including websites and organizations as well as books on postpartum adjustment.

There are hormonal changes that happen in a woman’s body following birth that make her particularly vulnerable to mood changes, but there is a crucial difference between normal baby blues and postpartum mood problems. This distinction will be especially important for the woman who feels that something is not quite right emotionally for her since the baby was born. Because motherhood carries with it such strong cultural pressures and ideals, it is especially difficult for someone suffering from postpartum mood problems to get help. You might feel that you are under internal and external pressure to be “the good mother” and the sudden onset of mood changes can be difficult to figure out and get support for.

The “baby blues” are common after childbirth … (continued)
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