Taking care of mental health is also PREVENTION, it’s SELF-CARE. We don’t take care of our health only when we are sick, right?
Pregnancy is one of the most important periods in a woman's life, as she will undergo intense transformations in a short period of time with the arrival of the baby. No change is easy, even if it is expected, joyful, and positive. Changes, even the wonderful ones, bring about a moment of crisis. Crisis, in psychology, means a potentially transformative moment. This means that a woman can use the crisis to strengthen herself, but she can also become more fragile. Many of the problems that already existed before—conjugal, familial, professional—can be intensified in the postpartum period. Crises strengthen us, transform us, but they can also bring us down. That’s why it’s crucial to be very careful during the entire perinatal and postpartum period, with the mother’s mental health.
The childbirth, changes in the body, breastfeeding, changes in libido, the shift from a couple relationship to a parental relationship, the reorganization of family dynamics, the complexity of balancing work, children, and home, in a cultural context that expects women to be “multitaskers.” There are many factors that can lead to emotional exhaustion.
It is possible to prepare emotionally for the postpartum period with the support of a qualified professional to support mothers during this delicate and important time, and this work begins during pregnancy! After childbirth, the woman won’t have much time to focus on herself and her feelings, so the sooner she prepares, the better!
This preparation is not psychotherapy, but fits into a psychoeducational, informational, and therapeutic model more specifically focused on pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum. It can be done in a group or individually, with pregnant women, and the focus is primarily on the mother, but it also involves the father and the family members involved.
When we talk about postpartum, we are thinking of the mother-baby dyad, and the end of the postpartum period, which has no set date, only happens when the mother is able to reorganize herself in her new life, integrating this new role. Until then, a lot will happen, and it is important that this woman feels supported and better prepared to face this moment of rebirth and, why not, without significant emotional harm?
Pregnancy is the time to prepare for the most important event, the arrival of the baby, beyond the necessary care for physical health and the baby’s well-being. Many women and couples only realize the impact of the postpartum period and its consequences once it has passed, and they do not have the opportunity to raise awareness and prepare for the most important aspect, which involves taking care of themselves in order to be in a condition to care for another life.
Being able to rely on professional help, qualified listening, information based on scientific evidence to strengthen oneself and make informed birth choices, talking to other mothers who are experiencing something similar is an opportunity to better prepare and navigate all the challenges that will come more easily. And, of course, to prevent postpartum disorders.
