The postpartum period typically refers to the first six to eight weeks after giving birth. But for many parents, it takes much more than eight weeks to navigate the challenges of new parenthood and to feel like they have a grasp on it.
For many, the postpartum period feels like a mix of joy, exhaustion, and intense emotional changes. While it’s common to feel overwhelmed, building emotional resilience can help you navigate the challenges of this time period.
Emotional resilience is the ability to adapt to and recover from difficult situations and stress. At Phoenix Health, we help families develop coping strategies and habits to build resilience so that they can cope with the ups and downs of the postpartum period.
Here are five strategies that can help you build emotional resilience during the postpartum period:
1. Prioritize Self-Compassion
After giving birth, many mothers experience guilt or feel like they aren’t doing enough. Practicing self-compassion by speaking to yourself with kindness and allowing room for mistakes helps to build resilience.
Self-compassion involves three key elements:
- Kindness toward yourself, rather than judgement
- Understanding that as humans we are all vulnerable to pain and suffering
- Taking a balanced and mindful approach
You can practice self-compassion by:
- Making sure that your expectations for yourself are realistic
- Remembering that the postpartum period is challenging for most people and struggling is not a sign of weakness
- Using kind words when you speak to yourself
2. Stay Connected to Your Support System
Having a strong support system can play a big role in helping you to cope with the postpartum period. Whether it’s a partner, family member, friend, or therapist, don't hesitate to reach out when you need support. Isolation can worsen feelings of anxiety or sadness and is a risk factor for postpartum depression, but leaning on others helps alleviate emotional burdens.
Support groups can be a good way to connect with other parents during this time. Postpartum Support International offers more than 50 free online support groups each week. They also have a peer mentor program, which is another way to get support.
3. Try Mindfulness Practices
Mindfulness is an evidence-based practice that can help ground you when you're feeling stressed or anxious. Simple mindfulness techniques, such as focusing on your breathing or practicing short meditations, can help you stay present and manage overwhelming emotions. Mindfulness is about accepting how you feel in the moment without judgment.
There are many different ways to practice mindfulness. When you're in the fourth trimester, it can be difficult to establish a formal mindfulness practice, but you could make any activity, such as taking a walk or eating a meal, a mindful experience. All you need to do is focus on your breath or what you are doing and notice when a thought pops up. When a thought arises, simply let it go and return your focus back to your breath or an activity. Continue this process without judging yourself. It may feel like you keep having to redirect yourself, but this is completely normal. Each time that you "catch" a negative thought and bring yourself back, you are building emotional strength.
4. Focus on Small Wins
Building resilience doesn’t require massive changes all at once. Remember to celebrate your small victories too, like getting through a hard day or making time for self-care. Recognizing these accomplishments, however small they may seem, reinforces positive behavior, raises your self-esteem, and encourages perseverance.
5. Seek Professional Help
There’s no shame in seeking professional help if you are struggling. Therapy offers a safe space to explore your emotions, understand your triggers, and develop coping skills. At Phoenix Health, we specialize in helping all families develop resilience by addressing the unique challenges they face during the postpartum period and beyond.
Building emotional resilience isn’t about avoiding negative emotions—it’s about finding ways to manage them and adapt. The postpartum period can be incredibly hard, but by focusing on self-compassion, staying connected, and seeking the right tools, you can strengthen coping abilities.