Becoming pregnant and giving birth to a child is one of the most intense events that can occur in a family. During pregnancy and following birth, major changes occur for women physically and emotionally, and in their lifestyle and relationships.

Women are more likely to have difficulty coping in the first year after childbirth than at any other time in their lives. Even when pregnancy and childbirth goes as expected, the transition to parenting a new baby may be rocky. If your pregnancy and/or childbirth did not go as planned, you are suddenly faced with a variety of stresses, losses, and challenges.

When pregnancy and/or childbirth is complicated…

When you deliver your baby prematurely, you are faced with many layers of loss and challenges on top of the typical adjustments to a new baby. Instead of the unbridled joy you were expecting to feel upon your baby’s birth, you are feeling a wide range of intense and sometimes bewildering feelings, including sadness, yearning, anger, guilt, failure, anxiety, fear, and confusion. Instead of joining easily with other parents of newborns, you may struggle to find others who will understand you.

If you have also experienced infertility, high-risk pregnancy, the death of a baby, difficult delivery or a very sick newborn, your distress about your pregnancy, baby and yourself as a parent are likely to be intensified. You are trying to adjust to your new situation, yet your circumstances may leave you feeling alone, grief-stricken and uncertain. Even though your reactions are normal, it is also natural to have concerns about your feelings, thoughts, behaviors or adjustment. Counseling can help you through this difficult period. By seeking counseling, you not only help yourself, but also your baby and your family.

Could you benefit from counseling?

In general, if you believe you might benefit from counseling, try it. Even just a couple of visits might give you the reassurance and boost you need. If any of your health care providers are concerned about you, they may recommend counseling. You might also consider counseling if you are experiencing difficulty with any of the following:

Overwhelming feelings: