5 Ways to Beat the Bably Blues

I have only suffered from full blown depression once in my life and it actually had nothing to do with having a baby. I do however, reach a point after each birth, somewhere between six and eight weeks postpartum, that I just get bummed about life. I'm tired. I'm grumpy. Being thirty pounds heavier than "normal" (whatever that is) doesn't help either. When I hit that stage (with newborns, toddlers, or preschoolers) there are a few things that seem to help.

- Fresh Air. It doesn't matter the temperature outside. If I can just inhale air that hasn't been circulating through my house for three days, I feel refreshed. I used to go for walks with the kids, but I now have too many to fit in the stroller and not enough bikes. So we have taken to hanging out in the back yard in the late afternoon - usually after the little ones wake up from their nap. It makes the "witching hours" go by quicker and I get my second wind. (Side note: if it's too hot or too cold, I keep the little ones inside. But I have learned that fifteen minutes of outside play will wear the older two out quite nicely. I either bundle them up or strip them down depending on the thermostat). For me this time often includes playing fetch with our Black Lab, Maggie. I don't know why, but she always makes me laugh and God knows I can use a little laughter at the end of the day.

- Exercise. I'm laughing even as I write this because the closest I've come to exercise after having Colby is jumping on the trampoline for - literally - fifteen seconds. Two problems immediately became apparent: trampolines and breastfeeding don't mix, and mommy needs to do Kegels. However, I do feel better about life in general if I can just get my heart rate up. So I play tag with the boys in the back yard (much kinder on the bladder) or walk the dog.

- Cut the Sugar. What goes up, must come down. The sugar high leads to the sugar crash and I don't need another reason to feel tired. So if I keep my blood sugar somewhat level I'm less grumpy.

- Silence. My nerves are usually shot by noon due to the noise level in our home. We have a mandatory quiet time in the afternoons while the babies sleep. That's usually when I brew a pot of coffee and sit on the couch with my laptop and write. The older two read books or play games. Recently I've been letting them go to the Hot Wheels website. It's been a big hit.

- Pray. My mother once told me that we often use prayer as a last resort when it should be our first line of defense. At Christmas I was given these cool bookmarks from Family Life Today that guide you through praying for your husband and your children. Since the first thing I do each morning is sit in bed and nurse the baby, I pray through these before I start my day. Being intentional about giving my day to God makes all the difference in the world.

I have learned that the little things are key when it comes beating the baby blues. Sometimes my spirits can be lifted by a conversation with a good friend. At other times I just need a nap. Regardless, finding a few things that settle the spirit, mind, body are essential in changing in the way we look at life.

If you have any tips for beating the blues please share.