Problems coping are common even when pregnancy and childbirth are without complication. However, if your pregnancy was difficult, if childbirth did not go as planned, or if adjusting to the needs of your specific baby are much different than what you had expected, these difficulties may be magnified.

Why seek counseling?

Getting help adjusting to the challenges of parenthood is not a luxury. By addressing these difficulties soon, you not only reduce the chances of the symptoms worsening, but you also can quickly focus on creating the best possible relationship with your child. Though the symptoms you feel are not unusual, many mothers fear discussing them because they think that others will criticize them. Counseling may be the first place where you can openly discuss all of your thoughts, freely express your emotions and create a plan to make things better.

Under even the most ideal circumstances, the transition to parenthood can be bumpy. If the path you imagined was very different from the path your pregnancy actually took, you may be trying to figure out how to feel "at peace" with how things went. You may feel distant from your baby, or worry that you're overly protective. You might find yourself overwhelmed with sudden memories of the pregnancy, delivery, or events after delivery. If your pregnancy, delivery or newborn period did not go the way you had planned, you have many losses to mourn, and adjustments to make. These losses and adjustments may not be easily recognized by your friends and family; leaving you feeling even more alone and upset.