My postpartum depression journey

I know the feeling. You're so tired, and you just want to sleep. All you can think about is getting into bed and closing your eyes…

But then you remember: there are diapers that need to be changed, bottles that need warming, and little hands that are tugging at your shirt sleeve asking for a snack. And then there's the laundry—oh god, the laundry!

And suddenly, all those delicious hours of sleep sound like a distant dream. Because what if something happens in the middle of the night? What if someone needs a diaper change or needs feeding? What if they get scared because they hear something outside? What if—what if—what if?

I know it feels like there aren't enough hours in the day for anything else besides taking care of everyone else. But here's the thing about being a parent: we're not supposed to do this alone. We're supposed to have help from other people who love us (and our kids) enough to want them to be cared for while we're busy doing things that are important too!

We all deserve self care, especially when we've done everything right and given birth to someone amazing! So don't be afraid or embarrassed to ask for help.  Trust me, you are not a burden.  

When someone asks me what my postpartum journey feels like, I tell them its like driving my car during a fog storm.  I turn on the lights but I cant see.  Then my antidepressant kicked in fully after 5 weeks and it was like the fog wasn't as thick and I could see but it was just a mist.  

A lot of people have asked me how I got through the first few months after having my baby. It's a hard question to answer. I think it would be easy to say that it was all a blur—that I was just trying to keep moving, keep going, and never stop. But that's not really true. There were plenty of moments where I just wanted to collapse and cry, or sleep for days on end because my body hurt so much.

But there were also moments when I felt like I could conquer the world—like if someone had told me to run a marathon in the middle of the night, I would've said yes without hesitation and just kept going until it was done.

I've started to implement self-care into my life and it has helped me a lot.  And if you're reading this then you are also going through this process as well. You've been through a lot. You're tired and overwhelmed, and you are going to need to take care of yourself if you want to be able to take care of the little one who's been growing inside of you for nine months. So here are some tips and tricks for self-care during your postpartum recovery period that I have done as well that I am sure will help you too:

--Get plenty of sleep.

--Keep yourself hydrated. Drink lots of water and keep coconut water in the fridge for when you need an energy boost.

--Take time out to do something fun every day—even if it's just watching your favorite TV show, reading funny memes or putting on a face mask while listening to music!

--Eat well and make sure you're getting enough protein in your diet (this will help with muscle recovery).

--Don't forget about exercise! Even if you can only do it once every other day at first, make sure that you're doing something physically active every day after birth—even if it's just walking around the block for half an hour or so! It'll help speed up recovery time and get those endorphins pumping again.

You can't help others if you're not taking care of yourself.

Self-care is important, and it's something that we often forget about. We're always trying to help others, but how can we do that if we're running on empty?

We all need to take care of our bodies and minds so that we have the energy to help others, and so that we don't end up burning out and giving up on ourselves. What good is it if you give everything you have to others and then end up getting sick or injured because you've been neglecting your own needs?

Take some time for yourself today!