How long does post-natal tearfulness last?!

[AnMum]

My son is 2 weeks old today and I am still getting bouts of tearfulness, particularly in the evening...is this normal and how long does it last?! I feel like my hormones are all over the place. Most of the time I feel thrilled to be a mum but then have occasional moments of feeling terrified/lost! All normal for the first few weeks?

Hi AnMum,

Congrats on the birth of your son. After I had my twins I was teary for several weeks - it starts off being hormonal and then segues into being sleep-deprived sobbing. Totally normal. Also normal to feel out of your depth sometimes/ often.

If it becomes more than just teariness/exhaustion and feels more 'serious' than that (feeling hopeless most of the time etc) then suspect PND. But what you have described sounds totally normal. I think it went on until a couple of months. Then I was just very very tired.

Have a wonderful Christmas.

Oh Pet! COngratulations on becoming a mum .

I was awful from about Day 4 to 9, then a bit wobbly for about another 4 weeks after that.

Don't panic - your hormones are all over the place. It's a big deal becoming a mum and it takes a bit of getting used to. Totally normal. All that on top of Christmas (which I always find very stressful anyway).

When the world gets up and running again in the new year, why don't you go and check out a local mum and baby group. It might sounds awful now, but you'll get to meet other people with babies a similar age and you can get a feel for what is normal, what's not and have some adult company.

Enjoy your new baby - doesn't he smell just Gawjuss???

(And have a cry and post here if you need - we understand)

im the same, DS is 2 weeks old and i have spent most of today crying and thinking i shouldnt have been allowed to have a child. i just wish i knew what to do and feel totally out of my depth, i hope i feel better soon :(

You will.

Don't try to do too much. Just concentrate on the baby.

It doesn't matter if you can't get out of your pyjamas.

I think it's so very very normal, but certainly it's difficult while it lasts. I felt at the very beginning as if I was an alien in a world going on as normal around me, & kept bursting into tears at odd moments.

It gets better gradually, but you have to accept that a huge change has happened to your body & your life & your mind and everything really, so just go with the flow & give yourself time to recover, and look after yourself (accept any offers of help).

Congratulations Anmum and 1lump

Agree that it's perfectly normal at this stage. For me, it probably got a lot better after 3 weeks and much better again at about 4 weeks in.

Enjoy your little bundles.

congrats both - sounds totally normal to me. I felt bonkers for weeks after both of mine bonkers as in tearful, overemotional etc etc

Congratulations from me too to Anmum and 1lump.
Just to echo what all the others have said - it is totally normal to be tearful and feel overwhelmed at the huge change and huge responsibility. Your brain will adapt eventually but being tired makes it harder too.
What I did was just to take one day at a time, or when necessary to take each hour or each minute at a time. I focused on the current task only and learned not to worry if I felt blue, but just to accept it/distract myself by reading a book (read the entire works of Georgette Heyer more than once whilst breastfeeding - ridiculous escapism!)
I went on to have five children so it obviously improved.
Good luck with the coming days. They will turn into weeks and months and one day you will be looking back on this time. Enjoy what you can of your time as a new mother but don't worry or feel bad if you don't.
Best wishes.

thanks everyone, its nice to know other people felt/feel the same, ill try to take it 1 day at a time.

My ds2 is 5 weeks, and I'm currently weeping for no real reason! !
It's overwhelming whether it's your first or second or tenth child. This time round I know what I'm doing, but the emotional / hormonal side of things is still hard. Plus, my 5yo is a trial at the moment...
What I'm trying to say is that I think we all struggle a bit at the start for many reasons, but it does get easier, emotionally and physically.

The best thing to do right now is stop pressuring yourself, and give in to the fact that your baby is all you should be focussing on in the short term.

I cried on the phone to my mum just telling her about how I had cried about how much I loved my ds. It will get better, just hold your little one as much as you can and snuggle him so you can smell his yumminess like minimum said.

Nonomum not minimum. Stupid automatic word thingy