Moms-to-be and Moms: Mental health matters

A woman is one of the most magnificent creations of nature. Every step of her life is a marvel; she is born to spread joy, grows up to exude beauty, and then comes the most beautiful moment of her life: motherhood. It is special to both the mother and the kid.

Surely, there can be no greater gift to humanity than a mother. Every woman desire to be a mother at some point in her life. The journey from being a carefree, independent, focused, and responsible woman to suddenly being a pillar of support for the child defines motherhood.

This is how motherhood alters each woman, even after 9 months of delight, worry, agony, and labor, a mother has the biggest smile for her kid. This is just one example of a mother's kindness. Mothers never ask for anything in return from their children. They are the gifts that keep on giving.

With all the happiness she spreads, it never occurs to us that a mother could fall prey to mental illness.

However, its surprising to know that around 13% of pregnant women worldwide suffer from a mental condition, most commonly depression. If left untreated, these problems can have disastrous repercussions for the woman, her infant, the family as a whole.

During and after pregnancy, stress is pretty common. Women go through so many physical and mental changes, that affects their overall health adversely.

Mental stress can be reduced by practicing self-care, mindfulness, and task prioritization. To handle the maternal stress in your life, here are some suggestions:

 

1. Identify your micro-stressors: Pay attention to the little irritants in your life, such as email overload, or a cluttered home. Keeping a journal during pregnancy is an excellent approach to tracking  stressors and uncovering patterns so that you can address them.

 

2. Have meaningful conversations: If a certain trigger is repeating, consider speaking with the person involved. Bring it up in conversation with family and friends. This can help to address the problem and relieve tension.

 

3. Develop your personal life: Having a strong personal life can help to mitigate the effects of work-related stress. Spend time with family and friends, as well as participating in activities and hobbies you enjoy. Reading, knitting, making stuff out of waste, and pottery, are all activities that help a mother relax.

 

4. Set boundaries at work: This is critical for working mothers. Setting limits is a vital aspect of dealing with stress and maintaining our overall well-being. Set boundaries to prioritize your own needs and ideals, which can help minimize stress, and better manage time and responsibilities.

 

5. Practice meditation and mindfulness: Meditation and mindfulness can help clear your mind and reduce stress. Set aside a few minutes each day to meditate, deep breathe, or indulge in other forms of relaxation.

 

6. Soft toy therapy: We often say that soft toys are for children. They enjoy these soft, fluffy toys because they have a squeezy, warm, and cuddly appearance. These toys serve as effective stress balls. It relieves daily stress, soothes loneliness, eases trauma, and bereavement reduces social anxiety, and maintains a balanced hormonal level.

 

7. Aromatherapy: It is a practice that uses essential oils to relieve anxiety and its effects. These oils are utilized in a variety of methods, including a diffuser, placing a few drops on a person's wrist and neck area, and wearing a bead bracelet.  Some of the scents used to relieve maternal anxiety include lavender, ylang-ylang, grapefruit, clary sage, and bergamot. Aromatherapy oils are available at the Apollo Pharmacy store.

 

Being a mother is one of the most rewarding experiences one can have, but it can also be difficult and stressful, especially when it comes to one's mental health. As a mother, it is essential to prioritize your mental health by taking care of yourself. As a mother, she takes entire care of her newborn, as the head of the family, she looks after the requirements of her family, and as a manager, she supervises her subordinates and colleagues at work, all while never complaining.

The optimal mental health of the mother is a necessity for a healthy family. healthy women can lift society.

References:

1. Maternal mental health, Available at https://www.who.int/teams/mental-health-and-substance-use/promotion-prevention/maternal-mental-health
2. Learn Stress Management With UR.Life To Combat Micro-stress, Available at https://ur.life/article/learn-stress-management-with-urlife-to-combat-micro-stress
3. How can stuffed toys help improve a person’s mental health? Available at https://healthlibrary.askapollo.com/how-can-stuffed-toys-help-improve-a-persons-mental-health/
4. 7 Natural Remedies for Anxiety and Stress You Must Read for Health, Available at https://healthlibrary.askapollo.com/7-natural-remedies-for-anxiety-and-stress/
5. Happy mother's day! Available at https://healthlibrary.askapollo.com/happy-mothers-day/