From the moment you find out that a little person is growing inside you, a series of feelings overwhelm you and you count down the days until you can  to see it for the first time.

Without a doubt, being a mother is the most beautiful thing that can happen to a woman, and feeling that little body when the pediatrician places it on your chest is wonderful; the day of its birth is forever etched in your mind.

But what happens when you only associate the memories of your birth with rejection?

You're a bad mom if you didn't fall in love with your baby when they were born or  Did he have to help someone else care for him in his first days of life?

In a pregnant woman's body, such drastic changes happen from one day to the next, and society also generates a certain pressure by romanticizing pregnancy and breastfeeding, so much so that many mothers may feel some frustration when they cannot breastfeed or worse, when they cannot develop an adequate attachment with their baby .

If you don't feel that " love " for your baby or know someone who is going through that,  You need to know that there is something called Baby Blues or postpartum blues.  It consists of a mood characterized by irritability, sadness, and a tendency to cry during the first few days after the baby's birth. The exact cause is unknown, but it has been associated with hormonal changes such as those in progesterone and cortisol, as well as pressure from family or society. The good news is that little by little, love and attachment will develop with your baby, and the mother experiencing the baby blues will be able to fully enjoy and care for him.

 This can happen to 80% of women; the percentage is high, so it is important to know of its existence in order to provide adequate care to the mother and take the best care of the baby.

When these symptoms last for a long time or manifest with greater intensity, they are described as postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis, which are disorders that must be recognized and treated by a specialist since the life of both the baby and the mother may be in danger if it is not diagnosed in a timely manner.

If you feel it was difficult for you to fall in love with your baby for the first time, don't worry, this doesn't call into question your qualities as a mother, but it's important that you acknowledge it.  If you are planning to have another pregnancy, you can identify it and find your support network so you don't feel alone.

This is why it's important to have prenatal consultations with your pediatrician so you can feel understood and supported by a professional.

Written by:

Dr. Maribel Cortez

Pro-Breastfeeding Pediatrician

@Clinicapediatricamcortez