My journey with postnatal depression

This is a guest blog by Nikki Steele Osborne of The Scottish Soul Sister (* Please note this article is written by a guest blogger, and is not written by Buildabundle. All opinions are the author’s own personal experience and do not replace professional medical advice – if anyone is experiencing any signs of postnatal depression then we urge you in the first instance to reach out to your GP, midwife or health visitor *)

I’m pregnant!!

It was the 26th of December 2016 and I felt like all of my Christmas’s had come at once! I was 40 years old and we had been trying to conceive for almost 3 years.

The stars were aligned, we were living in a beautiful town called Tivat in Montenegro, it was financially viable for me to live my dream of being a stay at home Mum. Our marriage was strong and we had some lovely friends around us so I was not worried about a thing!

My pregnancy was great, at the latter end of it I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, however the baby and I were healthy and there were no issues after the birth. Due to this factor combined with my age it was recommended that I be induced. Following a night in labour I ended up giving birth by Caesarean Section. Although not the most fun I have ever had, it was trauma free, no issues and our wonderful son came into the world!

He was born in my hometown in Scotland  which we planned to ensure I had the support of my family there, my husband’s parents flew over from the USA to be with us too. Blessed and grateful, we were ready to start our new life as a family.

But……..if everything was so great why did I feel so emotional??

Baby blues?

Circumstances? My husband had to return to Montenegro for work whilst my son and I stayed in Scotland for another few weeks. Yes that was it… it would all be fine once we got home and settled in our own house.

Fast forward 18 months and it became apparent that something had to be done. You see it was not a consistent feeling, there were times when everything was amazing, but the waves of feeling tearful, hopeless, overwhelmed, sad, isolated and disconnected would wash back over me, stealing this precious time with my son.

I guess by not truly acknowledging how bad it was I figured it would simply just stop one day.

This was not the case and after a suggestion from a friend to talk to a counsellor, followed by a two day retreat led by a life coach friend of mine, I was able to experience a very much needed pivotal moment.

Having a safe space to talk without judgement or fear of burdening family or friends was a massive turning point. Armed with some newly learned tools from the retreat I felt ready to turn things around

I would love to share with you one of the main tools that contributed to my recovery and that I still do every day.

It is so simple yet has a massive impact on my mood, clarity, productivity and general feeling of wellbeing when carried out consistently and all it takes is 15-20 minutes every morning. Instead of hitting the snooze button or grumbling about ‘another 10 minutes’ aim to swing your legs out of bed and do a low impact seven minute workout then  grab a shower…..that is it!

Now I know it can be tough if you have a little one who is still up through the night but this will actually help you to have a little more energy as you start your day. I would do this before my husband left for work so that he was there to tend to our son if he got up before I was finished.

Having been doing this for almost two years now it is evident that there is power in how you choose to start your day. Introducing small changes can help build momentum and allow light into what once felt dark. Understanding you are not alone and utilising the help and support available will see you embracing  parenthood and the challenges it can bring.

Who Am I?

I am Nikki Steele Osborne and I run The Scottish Soul Sister.

As I sat by the water on one of our daily walks I decided that I could not let those 18 months be in vain and I felt compelled to help other families as they transitioned into this new territory that we call parenthood. The Scottish Soul Sister was born! Since that day at the water I have studied and achieved with distinction a diploma in life coaching, a diploma in Post Natal Depression Awareness also with distinction, created an online guide called Stepping Into Parenthood, launched the sale of weekly schedule and meal planners on Amazon, relocated to the UAE and embarked on a personal development journey that knows no end!

I now offer one to one online coaching sessions to provide a safe space to talk and give oxygen to the thoughts and emotions connected to being a parent. When you are in the midst of a depressive state, low mood or feeling overwhelmed it can be difficult to reach out. The online guide is a 10 step process in identifying and meeting the human needs of the individual and is a valuable tool in reminding you to take care of you!

For more information please go to the website www.thescottishsoulsister.com

Stepping Into Parenthood Online Guide – https://nikkisteele76.mastermind.com/masterminds/24694

Scottish Soul Sister Weekly Schedule and Meal Planner (Monday to Sunday)

Scottish Soul Sister Weekly Schedule and Meal Planner (Sunday to Saturday)