Kylie Jenner has spoken out about the difficulties of pregnancy after sharing her experiences with her second child.
The 25-year-old is the mother of two children, Stormi and Aire, with rapper Travis Scott, and gave birth to her youngest child last February.
She later admitted that postpartum life had been “not easy,” and she advised others in similar situations not to “put pressure” on themselves.
In a new candid interview, the Kardashians star was asked about postpartum depression and offered advice to other mothers.
‘I have experienced it. Twice. The first time was very difficult, the second was more manageable. I would tell those women not to overthink things and to live all the emotions of that moment to the fullest. Stay inside that moment, even if it is painful,’ she told Vanity Fair Italy.
‘I know, in those moments you think that it will never pass, that your body will never be the same as before, that you will never be the same. That’s not true: the hormones, the emotions at that stage are much, much more powerful and bigger than you.
‘My advice is to live through that transition, without fear of the aftermath. The risk is to miss all the most beautiful things of motherhood as well.’
There’s no denying that Kylie Jenner is one of the most famous women on the globe, with over 380 million Instagram followers and a massive fan base following her every move.
Having such a large platform, however, comes at a cost, as the mother of two has had to deal with her fair share of hostility over the years.
She added that she no longer checks any of the comments below her social media postings as a way to cope with the continual criticism.
‘Look, you can’t even imagine what I’ve read over the years about myself,’ she continued. ‘But do you know what’s new? I don’t read the comments anymore. I’ve become strong and I’ve realized that I don’t have to allow them into my life.
‘Of course, you get reactions and sometimes it is impossible not to get caught up in something that is blatantly false. Even in these cases, my mirror is my family, friends, people who love me: they are the only ones who give me back a true image of me, who really know who I am.’
Kylie spoke up about her postpartum troubles on Instagram only weeks after introducing Aire into the world, describing how ‘tough’ it was at first.
‘It’s been really hard for me,’ she told sister Kendall Jenner about season two of the Kardashians.
‘I cried non-stop all day for the first three weeks. It’s just the baby blues and then it goes away. I had it with Stormi too.
‘I cried for three weeks. Every day, to the point where I’d be lying in bed and my head would just hurt so bad.’
‘I feel better mentally,’ she added. ‘I’m not crying every day, so that’s great. I don’t have bad days with my body. I have bad days mentally.
‘I feel really good about my body. I see my body and I love my body. I’m embracing my PP body – postpartum.’
Baby blues and postnatal depression
The baby blues
During the first week after childbirth, many women get what’s often called the ‘baby blues’, in which they can experience a low mood and feel mildly depressed.
According to the NHS, this is probably due to the sudden hormonal and chemical changes that take place in the body after childbirth.
Symptoms can include:
- feeling emotional and bursting into tears for no apparent reason
- feeling irritable or touchy
- low mood
- anxiety and restlessness
Postnatal depression
While the NHS says post-natal depression affects one in every 10 women, it’s important to look out for signs and seek help as soon as possible.
Early symptoms include lack of energy, feeling tired all the time, hopelessness, problems concentrating, difficulty bonding with your baby, withdrawing, tearful and even frightening thoughts.
Postnatal depression can rear its head during roughly the first year after giving birth but some mums can experience it when their children hit two.
Emotional signs of postnatal depression may include:
- loss of interest in the world around you and no longer enjoying things that used to give you pleasure (like you ‘cannot be bothered’)
- feelings of hopelessness
- not being able to stop crying
- feelings of not being able to cope
- not being able to enjoy anything
- memory loss or being unable to concentrate
- excessive anxiety about your baby
Other signs of postnatal depression may also include:
- sleeplessness
- extreme tiredness
- feeling generally unwell
- anxiety
- loss of appetite
Where to get help
Stephen Buckley, head of information at Mind, says to start by seeing if your symptoms are interfering with your day-to-day life for more than a couple of weeks. If so, it’s important to seek help right away.
‘Try and speak to someone you trust about how you’re feeling, such as a GP, friend or family member. Your GP may be able to suggest support groups for new parents in your area so you can discuss your feelings with others going through similar experiences.
‘They might also refer you to services such as talking therapies, or offer you medication.
‘The symptoms of perinatal mental health problems can change from day to day, so it can sometimes be difficult for your doctor to understand what you’re experiencing and offer the right support.
‘If you don’t feel like you’re getting the help you need, you can bring this up with a health professional or bring someone you trust along to your appointment for support. Alternatively, you might want the support of an advocate there.’
Treatment for postnatal depression
Talking treatments are common with postnatal depression, and visiting with a qualified therapist on a weekly basis can help reduce and battle some of the depression.
Self-help may also involve doing activities you like, such as watching movies, going out, catching up on sleep, and any other interests you have.
If your depression is very severe and long-lasting, your doctor may offer antidepressants, which can be taken as a course or indefinitely depending on the severity.
Is there anything I can try at home?
Movement
While it’s probably the last thing you feel like doing, exercise has been proven to have great effects on physical and mental health.
It can help with better sleep, self-esteem, mood and energy levels. You could start off slow and try a short walk which will give some fresh air and movement to the body.
Eat Well, Feel Well
When energy is low, it can feel all-encompassing to cook for yourself, especially with a little one in tow. It may feel easier just to indulge in instant snacks or have a few glasses of wine, but alcohol is a natural depressant which can often leave you feeling worse the next day.
Healthy instant meal boxes kits delivered can be a help, or food prep in batches to freeze, so you only have to cook once and can make several meals last throughout the week.
More so, if you don’t have time for much cooking then you can always try something even quicker like yoghurt and fruit or veggies and dips.
Talking
When you are low, self-esteem can hit rock bottom and feelings of isolation and sadness can become overwhelming. Talking to someone can really take the edge off things.
Whether it’s a trained professional or just a friend or loved one, even just checking in with someone can help lift your mood and give a little distraction.
While the NHS recommends talking to your doctor or midwife, you could also try close friends or family or even an app like Peanut, which links you up with new mums in your area to make friends with.
For peer support, NCT also has groups around the country and you could even try Home Start which has volunteers who visit you at home, specifically trained to help women in challenging times.
Source My Celebrity Life.