Moms everywhere seem to be sharing their postpartum depression stories. I greatly admire their courage in doing so; it lets other moms know that they’re not alone. As someone with a history of depression, I felt like I was under a microscope as soon as we brought our baby home. It seemed like all of my doctors and family members were screening me for the warning signs. Or, maybe I was projecting that fear – the fear that I wouldn’t be able to enjoy being a mom after working so hard to become one.
The Hormone Crash
I wish I had read beforehand how your hormones crash after giving birth. This explains {in addition to the lack of sleep} why during the first week home, I burst into tears when I couldn’t figure out where in the house I heard my husband with the baby. I knew I was losing control of my emotions; it was like a heightened version of PMS. But I wasn’t sure how to answer people’s questions about if I was doing okay. I had never done this before, surely it would get better?
The Addiction
I was lucky enough to have a summer baby. Going for walks around the neighborhood made me feel so much better than being hidden away in bed. About a month in, when our daughter was still sleeping more often than not, I noticed my husband playing a game on his phone. It had a cute creature on the screen, but it appeared real-time as if it were in our house. I didn’t know the first thing about Pokémon, but I immediately downloaded the game to see if I’d like it. Before I knew it, we were walking around the neighborhood looking for Pokémon together!
I found myself really enjoying my walks with my sleeping newborn once they had a purpose {as if staying sane wasn’t a legit purpose}. Sometimes I would think, “The weather isn’t as nice today”, but then the thought of hatching a new Pokémon egg would get me out of my cave. And often, just circling the block lead to meeting a new neighbor — the cute baby effect.
The Controversy
All trends must have their haters. Soon after Pokémon Go took off, the negative memes began. The gist was: don’t you have something better to do than playing a kids’ game? Well, there’s only so much Netflix-binging you can handle when you’re at home with a tiny human that can’t yet communicate with you. I do understand the need to pay attention to my environment while playing {never while driving!}. I also had a vision of what I don’t want to become after seeing some parents and toddlers on tablets, at a playground. If there’s a chance for my daughter and me to be interacting, I will gladly take that over a video game. However, it was an easy way for me to pass the time on our long days of Dad being away at work!
I’m definitely not saying that this game is the only thing – or even the most effective thing – in preventing me from getting full-blown postpartum depression. It’s not a game that everyone’s going to be interested in playing. But it’s important to let yourself have a little fun, and get out there, after having a baby.
Are there any phone apps that help you pass the time as a Mom?
