pregnancy
07 Feb 2010
Baby Blues: How Social Support Groups Can Help
Encouraging mothers and fathers to discuss their feelings and symptoms with their doctor or with a mental health expert will generate tremendous relief.
“Receiving justification that you’re not the only one who is exhausted or whose feet are not the same size after delivering gives clarity to what you’re experiencing,” says John Cunningham, a marriage and family therapist at Mt. Shasta, California.
Social support groups are also significantly beneficial to new parents. “Connecting with other parents in social scenarios or formal support groups provides valuable support,” Cunningham adds. Recognizing that you’re not alone or that your feelings and physical symptoms are understandable and explainable provides comfort, helping mothers and fathers to begin addressing their feelings and develop strong, healthy relationships with their children.SOURCES:
- Carrie Brown, child abuse prevention specialist and mother of two; Denver, Colorado
- Jackie Keller, nutrition and fitness consultant to postpartum celebrities, author of Body After Baby: A Simple, Healthy Plan to Lose Your Baby Weight
- Diane Witt, neuroscientist, National Science Foundation
- Alberto Leonardi, father from manila
- Paul Ramchandani, M.D.; researcher; University of Oxford
Photo from: commons.wikimedia.org
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