Postpartum feelings of isolation

Therapist Aimee Wheeler, PsyD, shares advice for women on how to over the feelings of isolation and loneliness that commonly affect women after childbirth
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Postpartum feelings of isolation

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New mothers are often very often caught off guard by the feelings of isolation and loneliness that they experience after the birth of their first baby. The first thing that I would tell you is that it is completely normal. We all go through it. While we are experiencing the gift of this new person in our life and it's such a joyous moment, at the same time, you are also experiencing the loss of the life you used to have and the person you used to be. That, ultimately, means that you are going to have some grief. That is really what those feelings are. With any amount of loss, there is a certain amount of grief. The best thing to do is don't push them aside. Actually go inside and feel them, experience them, talk to people about them. Don't isolate yourself further. Try and find a new community of moms, people who are experiencing what you are experiencing. At the same time, if it feels a little deeper than that for you, go see a therapist. Also, look for signs of postpartum depression.

Therapist Aimee Wheeler, PsyD, shares advice for women on how to over the feelings of isolation and loneliness that commonly affect women after childbirth

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Aimee Wheeler, PsyD

Therapist

When her son was born, Aimee found herself in uncharted waters. She knew she wanted to be a different type of parent than her parents had been. After years of self-exploration, she felt she had healed a lot of her childhood emotional wounds and that she could be a good mother but she didn't really know how to parent differently. She went to Mommy and Me classes, breastfeeding groups, you name it, searching to fill a void she initially could not identify. They were all helpful but not what she felt she was longing for. She realized she was looking for a safe place to really talk about the challenges she was facing every day. Unfortunately, it seemed that none of the forums she found as a new mother were able to provide that. She vowed then to create such a place for parents, and the idea for Parenting Discovery Center was born.

Her educational background in psychology had nurtured her tremendous curiosity about the impact and importance of infant attachment. Her research in this area had equipped her with a conscious sieve to help evaluate the overwhelming amount of parenting advice available. What she found was that at a time of total vulnerability, parents are often taught parenting techniques that cause them to unwittingly undermine this important and essential bond. 

The Center provides a safe and supportive environment for exploring the emotions and challenges faced by new parents. They are also here to help peoople understand the importance of attachment and help parents build a conscious bond with their baby based upon their individual family's values and lifestyle. 

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