What It Is

Recent natural disasters, home mortgage crises, stock market volatility and credit constriction are proving to be tremendously difficult for some of the most at-risk members of our society. New parents, particularly pregnant and postnatal women, feel naturally compelled to create a stable home environment for their babies. Rapidly fluctuating hormone levels and brain chemistry only elevate their increased stress levels.

Unstable world environments can make the creation of a stable home life impossible, ramping up stress and wreaking havoc in parent’s minds and bodies. A stressed mother equals a stressed baby, but the reverse is also true. Helping a new mother feel more secure will have a positive effect on the baby as well. Here are some tips to cope with difficult times:

1. Focus on the moment. There may be a hundred problems that you need to cope with. You cannot possibly tend to them all at once. Just focus on one at a time. Most importantly, check if you and your family are safe for now. If not, ask yourself what you need to do to assure the most basic needs are met, and follow through. If you are safe, even for the night, breathe and allow a moment of gratitude for even the smallest blessings.

2. Encourage Honesty. You may feel sad, mad, glad, scared, or some confusing combination of these. You don’t have to make sense of any of it right now. Whatever you feel is O.K. Supressing your emotions for any length of time can be hazardous to your health. Acknowledging whatever you feel from the inside out can free up vital life energy to allow you to move forward.

3. Connect. You are not alone. Connecting with other people and sharing your story can help you feel sane again and bring comfort to everyone involved. If you can do this face-to-face, great. If not, go online and find support groups to connect with there. Quality matters more than quantity. Connecting with just one person or group of people who can be present and supportive can do a world of good.

4. Nurture Your Senses. What do you love? Sights, smells, sounds, tastes and touch all have the capacity to nurture our spirits. At a time when indulgences may seem impossible, you can nourish yourself by paying attention to the smallest treats. Ask yourself what you love to taste, touch, smell, see and hear. Think of ways to do two or more at a time and really focus on them. Some of the best ones are completely free. Really tasting a meal, noticing the colors in the world around you, feeling the warmth of your child’s skin, hearing the sound of a loved one’s voice can sustain you through some of the most difficult times. Strive to indulge each of your senses in some small way each day.

5. Attend to the Basics. You need to eat, sleep, breathe and drink water every day. Remembering these small, simple steps will increase your your health and vitality when you need it the most.

6. Let People Know What You Need. This is no time to try to survive on your own. The best way to increase the odds of getting the resources you and your family need is to ask for help. You would undoubtedly help someone else in any way you could, so give others a chance to help you. Check inside and as yourself if you require food, a safe place to sleep, someone to talk to, information or other resources. Then put your pride on the sideline and let people know what would make a difference in your life.