Emotions after birth

Your emotions

After the lead up to, and euphoria of giving birth you can feel flat after the event. Bonding with your new baby may not happen as quickly as you had expected and this may make you feel even more emotional. Many women report crying when they look at their new baby because they are so in awe of their new creation. Largely it is your hormones that are responsible for your emotional state as they begin to return to their pre-pregnancy levels. Also you begin to see things in a completely different way; images on the television which once you would have barely noticed take on a new significance and can bring you to tears.

Often women report that they see their partner in a different light. This is sometimes a positive feeling where you marvel that he is the father of your baby, but sometimes is negative. Many women call this “Black Widow Syndrome” because they feel similar to the way a black widow spider behaves. After having sex and fertilising her eggs the black widow spider kills her mate as he has fulfilled his role of creating offspring.

If you have other children, you may find yourself having different feelings towards them. This is generally a mother’s natural instinct to protect and care for her youngest child. Once everything settles down you will find your relationship with your older children will go back to normal and you will fall in love with them all over again.

If you feel that you are not coping with your new baby and your relationships are not returning to normal, you may be suffering from Post Natal Depression. Seek help and advice from your family doctor or local health nurse.

For more information see Childbirth or Postnatal.