Maternal Burnout And Burnout – Being Parents
The burnout maternal affects many mothers at the time of the child’s education. It is because of the stress and fatigue that the responsibility of caring for the baby carries.
It is characterized by a chronic depressive state of the mother which can lead, in the most serious cases, to very unpleasant situations. Therefore, it is a much more serious problem than just fainting or temporary depression.
It is the result of physiological, emotional and psychological exhaustion. This results from the accumulation of stressful situations, characterized by moderate intensity and a repetitive aspect.
Some of the most common consequences of maternal burnout are trouble sleeping, weakness, chronic fatigue, digestive problems, and head and back pain.
Phases of maternal burnout
1 – emotional exhaustion
Each person has physical and psychological energy. The daily responsibilities of the mother gradually sucks all her energy, until she reaches the moment when she feels empty of her physical resources.
In this first phase, it may happen that a simple awakening generates a feeling of anguish for the mother, because of the myriad of tasks that she has to accomplish.
2 – emotional detachment
To protect and take care of the child, the mother sets up a defense mechanism. It is possible that she continues to perform the tasks of daily living mechanically. However, the emotional investment will be gone.
As a result, the mother will feel distant with her son, with her husband and with her daily life.
3 – Reality
The last phase of exhaustion is probably the most worrying. At this point, the mother realizes the growing gap between her ideal of motherhood and reality as she perceives it.
Reality collides with the idealized concept of being a perfect mother. In these cases, the mother may feel in a situation of personal failure which involves loss of confidence and which can lead to aggressive behavior towards the child.
Main causes
Taking care of your child and the house is a job that sometimes can not be pleasant. Reconciliation with professional life can cause mothers not to have the time or energy to deal with all situations.
Sometimes this exhaustion is due to some moms need for perfection and trying to impose an ideal parenting regimen.
You have to keep in mind that there is no such thing as perfection. Don’t try to be a perfect mother. You need help and understanding with the large amount of work you have to do.
The big disappointment
The reality of motherhood is totally different from the idealized fantasy, either in the responsibilities or in the difficulty of achieving a correct organization.
It is necessary that you come to terms with the disenchantment with the ideal of being a mother and that you can see that reality is made up of good times and bad times.
Who can suffer from maternal burnout?
There is not really a typical profile more apt to suffer from maternal burnout.
In fact, burnout can affect women of all social status. Those who are having a baby for the first time as well as experienced mothers. Also, it can occur at any time, both after the baby is born or months later.
There are risk factors for maternal exhaustion, such as having twins or having several children of a similar age. This implies a heavy workload for the mother which can, in some cases, trigger maternal burnout.
Another case in which mothers may be more likely to suffer from burnout are single mothers, as they may lack support in raising their children.
How to stop a maternal burnout?
The most important thing is that you don’t accept being a perfect mother. For this, do not hesitate to talk about how you feel with those around you and even share your experience with other mothers.
If you think you need the help of a specialist, you can consult a psychologist.
At the same time, it is recommended to delegate certain tasks and to have the support of your partner. In case you are a single mom, you might be able to find support in your family. In addition, a babysitter can also be of great help.
