Welcoming a newborn into the family is undoubtedly a joyous occasion, but it also comes with its share of challenges and adjustments. New parents often find themselves having sleepless nights, with endless diaper changes, and the overwhelming responsibility of caring for a tiny, fragile human being. Amid these changes, parents often neglect their equally important well-being. But self-care for parents is essential. Let's take a look into some self-care tips for new mums and dads. What is Self-Care? Self-care for parents of newborns involves intentional actions to preserve their physical and emotional well-being amid the challenges of early parenthood. It encompasses activities that promote rest, nutrition, and emotional resilience. Self-care acts as a protective shield. From prioritising quality sleep to maintaining a balanced diet, self-care is vital for navigating the demanding responsibilities of caring for a newborn.  Read more: 10 Ways to Ensure Emotional Well-being during Pregnancy Why is it Essential for New Parents to Take Care of Themselves The physical toll of caring for a newborn is undeniable. Lack of sleep, irregular eating patterns, and constant physical demands can lead to exhaustion and potential health issues. Prioritising self-care ensures parents can maintain the physical stamina needed for the demanding tasks at hand. Emotional well-being is equally crucial. The rollercoaster of emotions that accompany parenthood, from joy to frustration, can be overwhelming. Taking time for self-care enables parents to recharge emotionally, fostering a healthier mindset to face the challenges with resilience. Essential Tips for Caring Parents of Newborns Prioritise Quality Sleep Ensuring sufficient, quality sleep is crucial for both physical and mental well-being, especially as new parents grapple with inevitable sleep deprivation. To make a significant difference, one should create a sleep schedule that allows for restful nights.  Read more: 15 Gift Ideas for a Newborn Baby Parents may consider taking turns with their partner during nighttime duties to maximise the quality of their rest. This approach not only fosters a supportive partnership but also ensures both parents have opportunities for uninterrupted and rejuvenating sleep amidst the demands of caring for a newborn. Delegate Responsibilities Due to traditional mindsets and patriarchal social systems, in many families, the care of a newborn and doing household chores are granted as the mother's sole responsibility. It may deteriorate the mother’s emotional and physical health. As a result, many mothers suffer postpartum depression. Therefore, it is necessary to recognise that the mother of the baby need not shoulder everything alone; seeks the aid of her partner, family, and friends.  The new parents and other family members can share diverse responsibilities like household chores, cooking, cleaning, etc. Delegating responsibilities eases the burden and also grant parents precious moments to concentrate on both nurturing their newborn and tending to their well-being.  Read more: Newborn Baby, Infant Care Tips during Summer Building a supportive network ensures that the challenges of early parenthood are shared. It fosters a healthier and more balanced environment for both parents and their new addition to the family.

Some women experience postpartum depression after giving birth.  It not only causes extreme sadness and despair but also lead towards physical, emotional, and behavioral change. It usually begins within 4 weeks after delivery. It is a severe mental illness. The mood swing is also related to postpartum depression. This familiar concept is used to describe rapidly and intensely fluctuating emotions. People compare mood swings to a “roller coaster” of feelings from happiness and contentment to anger, irritability, and even depression. Here we are going discyss the causes, symptoms and reasons of postpartum depression and mood swings.Don't miss this article if you are a new mom suffering from postpartum depression or mood swings. Read Pregnancy Anxiety? How to reduce the stress of pregnant mothers? Postpartum depression and mood swings: common causes, reasons, and symptoms Comparison of causes, symptoms and reasons between postpartum depression and postpartum mood swings.   Postpartum Depression Mood Swing Cause Hormones:  The drop of Hormones after giving birth may play an important role to make you feel tired, sluggish, and depressed. Lack of sleep: With a newborn baby naturally the mother doesn't get sufficient sleep which ultimately makes you overwhelmed and so you may not handle even minor problems.  Anxiety: Like the moms of older kids, a new mom may be anxious about her ability to care for her newborn.  Self-image: After delivery a new mom may feel less attractive and so she struggles with her sense of Identity. Ultimately, the new mom may feel that she has lost control over her life.   -      Premenstrual syndrome - Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)  -     Stress -      Psychiatric causes -      Hormone imbalances -      Puberty -      Pregnancy -      Menopause Symptoms -  Depressed mood  -  Excessive crying -  Difficulty bonding with the newborn baby -  Withdrawing from family and friends -  Loss of taste or eating much more than the mom used to eat usually -   Inability to sleep or sleeping too much -   Loss of energy -  Lack of interest and pleasure in activities you love to do -   Intense irritability and anger -   Fear that she is not a good mother -   Hopelessness - Feelings of worthlessness, shame, guilt, or inadequacy - Feeling inability to think clearly, and make decisions - Restlessness - Severe anxiety and panic attacks - Thoughts of harming her oneself or the newborn baby - Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide -  Feeling sad, hopeless, and worthless - Failing to enjoy favorite activities - Having trouble sleeping or sleeping too much - Feeling exhausted, tired, and fatigued - Having difficulty concentrating - Experiencing thoughts of death or suicide Reasons -   Having a history of depression -   Feeling bipolar disorder - Experiencing postpartum depression after a previous pregnancy - Experiencing stressful events (like illness, or job loss) regarding pregnancy. -   Baby's health problems  -   Having twins or multiple births -   Experiencing difficulty breastfeeding -  Going through bad relationships with her spouse or partner -   Having a weak support system -   Feeling financial problems - The pregnancy was unplanned or unwanted -   Living alone -   Marital conflict - Bipolar Disorder - Sleep -Deprivation - Low Blood Sugar - Certain Medications - Thyroid Issues - Caffeine - Too Much Sugar - Depression How can new moms deal with Postpartum depression and mood swings  Be friendly with your baby  You need to maintain attachment-the emotional bonding with your baby. This wordless relationship is really necessary and essential to enable a child to feel secure. It helps enough to develop your child fully and affects how he or she will interact, communicate, and form relationships throughout life. So, make sure you respond warmly and consistently to your baby’s physical and emotional needs to build a secure attachment with your baby.  Read Postpartum Weight Loss: How to lose baby weight fast after pregnancy Response quickly to your baby's demands and needs. But, remember, postpartum depression can interrupt this bonding. However, if you learn how to bond with your baby, it will be beneficial for your baby and for you as well which makes you feel happier and more confident as a mom.  Take others’ help and support  We are social beings and we can relieve our stress by building positive social contact with others. Positive social contact is faster and more efficient than any other means of stress reduction.  Naturally, a new mother needs help from others to care for the infant. Although at present nuclear families are available, new mothers often find themselves alone, exhausted, and lonely for supportive adult contact.  Read 10 Post- Pregnancy Skincare Tips: Get Your Glow Back So, it is important to be connected to family members and friends. Share what you’re experiencing with your nearest ones, especially with your mother or elder sister.  Be a joiner  Naturally, isolation begets anxiety. Make sure you may want to consider seeking out other women who are handling the same situation in motherhood although you have supportive friends. You can share your worries, insecurities, and feelings with them and they can give proper solutions to that as they have experience with these issues.  So, be a joiner and join the new-mommy support group which is offered by community organizations and hospitals to provide relief from the social isolation that comes with having a new baby, as well as perspective.  Read Newborn Baby, Infant Care Tips during Summer Take care of yourself  You may avoid postpartum depression effectively by taking care of yourself. By taking care of your mental and physical well-being, you can feel better. So, follow a simple lifestyle. Put priority on yourself and your baby. Minimize your household chores.  Take Regular exercise and Meditation  Studies show that exercise may be excellent for treating depression. So move and take easy regular exercise like walking for 30-minutes each day. You can take stretching exercises like yoga that have shown to be especially effective. Besides, do meditation to make you feel calmer and more energized.  Build a sweet relationship with your partner  Research has shown that most divorces happen after the birth of a child. Many couples think that the relationship with their partner is their primary source of emotional expression and social connection. As a new baby needs enough time and concentration, it can fracture this relationship unless couples put some time, energy, and thought into preserving their bond.  Read Pregnancy Care Tips for Summer: How can pregnant mothers beat the heat? Consult your doctor for postpartum depression If you are still suffering from postpartum depression after getting both self-help and family support, make sure you consult with your doctor. Take treatment as soon as possible. You can consult with a therapist who can help you successfully cope with the adjustments of motherhood.  However, you take marriage counseling if you are experiencing marital difficulties. Moreover, for cases of postpartum depression where your ability to function adequately for yourself or your baby is compromised, antidepressants may be an option.