Surviving the Chaos: Adjusting to Parenthood

Congratulations! You’ve just welcomed a new person into the world - maybe you’re happily enjoying your little one, scared out of your mind, stuck in a state of shock, sick of everyone and everything, or many other possibilities… that’s okay!

Becoming a parent for the first, second, third, or fourth (perhaps fifth, sixth or seventh) time can be really difficult. This period of time that may be fraught. So, how do you get through it unscathed? 

• Be Kind to Yourself: Things are not as they once were. You may not be able to shower as often, keep your house as clean, or manage as many commitments as before but that does not mean you are any of the mean thoughts you may be having about yourself. You are not disgusting or lazy, you’re a parent and you’re doing the very best you can.

• Check in with Yourself: It’s important to keep tabs on your mental health. As mentioned earlier, mood changes due to hormonal shifts are normal. But, when these thoughts or feelings escalate and become unmanageable, or you find yourself stuck in hopelessness, seek immediate support. PANDA is an excellent resource for people affected by changes to their mental health and emotional wellbeing during the perinatal period, who may be unable to seek ongoing therapy.

• Give Yourself Time: Whether you’ve done this before or it’s your first, you need time to rest, recover and learn how to parent this new addition to your family. Hormonal changes alone take several weeks to settle, in which you may experience difficulty sleeping, decreased appetite, low mood, increased anxiousness and/or mood swings (possibly unrelated to your child’s sleeping patterns or caregiver regime). If you notice that these distressing symptoms persist for many months, speak to your trusted health care professional who may encourage you to organise an appointment with a psychologist. 

Empathetix Psychology is dedicated to providing support for you and your family. We understand the challenges of finding a suitable babysitter, so feel free to bring your baby along with you during your sessions.

Best wishes from the psychologists of Empathetix Psychology.