After baby arrives, the nature and extent of your social connections take on a whole new meaning. Becoming a mother can open a whole new world with different venues to explore, new topics of conversation, and a seemingly endless array of new things to do. But there can be comfort in reaching back to former support networks too.

Before you even started this process called “having a family,” you might have heard that the addition of a child brings many joys….and that it will likely also forever alter your bond with your partner. You would be in good company if you are finding that things are more strained with your partner now, than ever before.

There are a variety of symptoms, circumstances and unanticipated events that may cause a new mother to be experiencing postpartum post-traumatic stress symptoms. Healing is possible through processing the experience fully. Taking this time for self-care can have long-term benefits.

Many new dads experience a wide range of emotions during their partner’s pregnancy and afterwards in the postpartum. Some dads muddle through this phase and come out on the other side just fine. But for others, this distressing time becomes a new way of being - and it doesn’t have to be that way.

The dream of becoming a mother begins young for many of us as we watch our own moms. It is not until many of us have children of our own that we see the challenges of motherhood clearly. Getting help and support in the postpartum helps us become the mothers we imagined we would be.

Our societal image of motherhood as blissful and brimming with joyful moments puts unnecessary pressure on new mothers. If you take a step back and really look at the postpartum, it is possible to see that the concept of perfect mothering is simply ludicrous on its face. Every step of motherhood is a lesson in on the job training.

For many new mothers, the excitement of the birth is overshadowed by a sense of loss in the postpartum. Some mothers miss being pregnant. Others feel the loss of certain aspects of their life before the baby including the ability to focus on career, the capacity to meet up spontaneously with friends and the intimacy in their relationships.

Mothering when you’re not feeling well yourself is a challenge that many women encounter during the postpartum. Developing go-to routines for tough days, leaving the house regularly on better days and allowing yourself to prioritize self-care are all strategies that can help.