From the author: an abridged version of the article was published in the magazine “Supermama” in 2008. Who could be happier than a woman who has a baby - a small piece of her flesh and blood? She looks at him tenderly, kisses his tiny fingers and carefully examines his small face. However, after a while, this same woman cannot find in herself a single drop of love, either for her child, or for her husband, or even for herself. She is depressed, constantly cries, the screams of her child at night, the need to do something around the house, and the endless instructions of her relatives drive her crazy. The condition, which occurs in one form or another in 60% of women, is called postpartum depression. Signs of depression: severe nervousness, anxiety and fear; fear of the coming new day; apathy, drowsiness; refusal to eat; acute sense of inferiority, aggravated by guilt in front of the child; moodiness and tearfulness; fear of loneliness, expectation of help and support; desire for solitude; refusal to breastfeed the child; insomnia or nightmares, often with repetition of the same dream. An emotional decline can occur due to a sharp decrease in the level of estrogen and progesterone - hormones that ensure optimal blood flow in the vessels of the placenta, as well as an increased level of the hormone prolactin in the body, which is necessary for the production of a sufficient amount of milk in a woman in labor. The reaction to changes in hormonal levels varies from woman to woman, and therefore the degree of depression varies. Such depression usually occurs 3-5 days after birth and usually lasts no more than two weeks. There is no need to fight with yourself, much less blame yourself for being a bad mother - treat yourself with attention and love, no matter what. Your body has completed its most important task and has every right to take some time to recover. If after this time there is no relief, then you need to consult a psychologist. Here are some recommendations on how to better live this time: It is necessary to remember that this period will soon end. It may well happen that sometimes you feel irritated towards the baby: as in general relationships between people, there may also be moments of greater or lesser emotional closeness between mother and child. After returning from the maternity hospital, try to limit your circle of contacts, leaving only very nice people for you. After the birth of a child, a young mother cannot immediately be as active and productive as before; in this state it is very important not to overwork. Try to find a person who will help you in everyday life. It is very useful for your state of mind during this period to do something that will allow you to turn on the relaxation mechanisms of your body. This could be drawing, knitting, dancing and an extra hour of sleep. After all, motherhood often implies sacrifice, in which a woman works “to exhale.” Simple relaxation activities will allow you to take an occasional invigorating “breath.” Talk to women who already have children, and this will help you not become isolated in your loneliness. Meet other moms with strollers who are walking in the same area as you. Tell your child’s father about your state of mind, but don’t demand that he understand and share your thoughts and feelings: perhaps he, too, is acutely worried about the birth of the baby, and he will also need time to “learn” to be a dad. Watch your appearance, because daily contemplation in the mirror of a pale face and disheveled hair, of course, does not improve your mood. Find an opportunity to spend the evening with your spouse outside the home. The child can be entrusted to the care of a grandmother or nanny. Don’t “forget” about your husband, who after the birth of the baby may feel like the odd one out in the mother-child bond. Romantic and sexual relationships will help you get out of depression.