Juiciness Mama

Being a new mom is difficult. Adding postpartum depression to the mix makes it even harder. I dealt with postpartum depression for more than a year (though I still cry here and there) after my triplets were born. I actually think postpartum depression can last YEARS, contrary to the NIH timeframe of 4-30 weeks postpartum. I think the depression hit me particularly hard maybe because I had, well, triplets! The toll it took on my body, the unbelievable exhaustion, the stress, overwhelm, and frustration… To top it all off, I had not anticipated being a full time stay-at-home mom for so long, but I didn’t have any other choice since we were (and are) trying to raise 3 infants at the same time.

I remember I was so desperate to feel better, but I didn’t want to use medication (just my personal belief, not that there’s anything wrong with medication). Instead, I found some tools that helped to begin turning my mental health around (I am not an affiliate to any of these tools, they have just personally worked for me):

• Dr. Andrew Huberman’s practical, science-based techniques have been transformative for me. I started taking cold showers in the morning and noticed my mood immediately lifted, lasting 2-3 hours. If I was desperate, I would take another cold shower in the afternoon.
• I slept deeper. A couple things worked here: I would look at the sun first thing in the morning to increase my natural melatonin release (per Dr. Huberman) and also take my CALM magnesium powder every night.
• On cloudy days I would use a HappyLight to boost my mood if I couldn’t get any sun.
• I’ve taken Femmenessence MacaHarmony naturopathic pills for years (they’re superb for balancing hormones) and started taking them after I stopped breastfeeding. This helped me wake up feeling more like myself instead of an unhappy troll. 

As I started feeling better, I began to work on my physical and mental health, implementing small daily habits that over time, helped me feel more like myself. All simple things: daily walks, daily exercise (literally 5-10 minutes), daily reading personal development books, and journaling.

There’s always hope, even if you don’t feel like there is. Reach out to those who love you. Let me know how I can help as well!