Health Network News

A volatile stock market, unpredictably disastrous weather, home mortgage crises and tightening credit crunch all add up to increasingly difficult home environments. Some of the most at-risk members of our population include pregnant and postpartum mothers. They are already coping with tremendous hormone and brain chemistry changes, and have a biological imperative to establish a safe haven for their new charges.

Unstable world environments can make the creation of a stable home life impossible, ramping up stress and wreaking havoc in parent’s minds and bodies. A stressed mother equals a stressed baby, but the reverse is also true. Helping a new mother feel more secure will have a positive effect on the baby as well. Here are some tips to cope with difficult times:

1. Focus on the moment. There may be a hundred problems that you need to cope with. You cannot possibly tend to them all at once. Just focus on one at a time. Most importantly, check if you and your family are safe for now. If not, ask yourself what you need to do to assure the most basic needs are met, and follow through. If you are safe, even for the night, breathe and allow a moment of gratitude for even the smallest blessings.

2. Allow Yourself to Be Honest. You may need to temporarily suppress some emotions for the sake of being able to move forward in the world, but ignoring your feelings completely can be dangerous. Give yourself permission to feel whatever is going on inside. Do an internal check. Are you mad, glad, sad, scared or some combination of these?

3. Make a Connection. You may not know it yet, but you are in good company. Reaching out to others and sharing your story can bring healing and comfort. Sometimes this is possible face to face, but other options are available. Consider connecting with an online support group. Knowing that just a single person or small group cares about you, even if they are long distance, can provide strength for you to carry on.

4. Find Small Ways to Nurture Yourself. It is truly possible to find beauty in some of the most difficult environments. To get there, you need to find out what you love with each of your senses. Ask yourself what you love to hear, what you love to taste, what you love to feel, what you love to see, and what you love to smell. Sure, expensive treats are nice, but you might be surprised to realize there are simple ways to nourish yourself daily. Pay attention to what brings you pleasure, and allow a few minutes a day to really notice those things. It could be the taste, sight and smell of a beloved food, the soft skin and sweet scent of your child, the sight of a sunrise or the soothing warmth of a long-awaited shower. Choose at least one thing each day to focus on for each of your senses to sustain your well being.

5. Cover the Essentials. Eating, sleeping, breathing and drinking water may not seem significant, but they are. Attending to these essentials each day will provide you with the energy to make it through to smoother times.

6. Ask Others for Help. This is no sign of weakness. On the contrary, you prove your competence by asking for help for yourself and your family when you need it. Do you need help finding information, food, housing, resources, or a supportive network? People might not know what you need unless you tell them. Don’t let your pride interfere. Give yourself permission to ask for help and increase your chances of finding the resources you need.

Share This