The Happiness Hormone and Nightmares Arrive on the Same Day: Designing Support for Postpartum Loneliness

Childbirth is often spoken of as the greatest milestone in life. Overcoming the pain, holding the baby, and shedding tears—ideally, the story would end there. However, in reality, the story begins from that point. A "life" without applause or background music suddenly descends upon you postpartum.

ZDF's "37°Leben" episode "Das Wochenbett – Glückshormone und Albträume (Postpartum: Happiness Hormones and Nightmares)" showcases precisely this "postpartum reality." The program refers to the postpartum period as an "exceptional state (Ausnahmezustand)," clearly stating from the outset that a baby's rhythm does not conform to adult schedules, mothers need time, and plans to "return to work immediately" or "return to normal" can easily fall apart. ZDF

1) "Separate Postpartum Challenges" Presented by Two Protagonists

The program follows two 33-year-olds.

Luisa is experiencing her first childbirth. She chooses to spend her postpartum period at her parents' home to get rest and support. Her husband is self-employed and finds it difficult to take long breaks from work. Even with this seemingly "supportive option," the postpartum fluctuations do not disappear. ZDF

Jackie is having her second child. Her concern is whether she can face both children fairly. The common belief that the second child is easier due to experience is shown to be quite reckless by this question. The life of the older child continues, and if the focus is on the baby, the older child may feel unsettled, while prioritizing the older child could lead to a lack of care for the baby. A mother cannot be in two places at once. ZDF

The program presents these two not as "special cases" but as "real-life steps many families go through." The postpartum "hardships" can be a situational issue rather than a personality issue—this perspective runs throughout the entire work.

2) Postpartum (Wochenbett) is a "Recovery Period" for Both Body and Mind

In medical information, postpartum (Wochenbett/Puerperium) refers to the 6 to 8 weeks after childbirth, a period when the body recovers and hormones undergo significant changes. Furthermore, German public health information states that there is a right to midwife support (such as visits) during the first 12 weeks. In essence, the postpartum period is not a time to "manage alone with determination," but a time "predicated on recovery and support." gesundheitsinformation.de

Nevertheless, in reality, support can sometimes be lacking. In Germany, a shortage of midwives raises concerns that basic postpartum care may not be adequately provided in some regions (background explanation of a research paper). Springer Link

If told to "return to normal operations" in places with thin support, it is the mind and body of the person involved that will break.

3) The Reason "Happiness Hormones" and "Nightmares" Coexist

The title is symbolic. Despite the presence of "happiness hormones," there are also "nightmares." This is not a contradiction. They can occur simultaneously in the same body.

Perinatal mental health is a globally important issue, with the WHO stating that "about 13% of women immediately after childbirth experience mental disorders, mainly depression." World Health Organization

The NHS also states that postpartum depression occurs in "more than 1 in 10 people within a year after childbirth" and can affect not only mothers but also fathers and partners. nhs.uk

On the other hand, there is the so-called "baby blues," a shorter-term emotional instability, which the US March of Dimes explains as "often starting 2 to 3 days after childbirth and lasting up to two weeks," potentially related to sudden hormonal changes. March of Dimes

In other words, postpartum tears and anxiety are not evidence of "lack of affection," but rather "possible reactions" due to overlapping physical changes and environmental factors.

What the program depicts is showing that as a matter of course. There is joy. But at the same time, sleeplessness, fear, and anxiety come. Happiness and anxiety do not occur "either-or," but on the same day.

4) Reactions from SNS (Online Community): The "Theme" Resonates More Than the "Title"

This time, due to viewing restrictions, comments on X and Instagram could not be directly quoted sufficiently, but the reality of postpartum itself is being discussed in depth on bulletin boards and communities. The questions posed by the program are circulating precisely as "everyday words."

For example, in an Austrian parenting community, specifics like "my husband (boyfriend) was home for four weeks," "after a C-section, I couldn't drive or lift more than 5kg," and "my mother came to cook and ate with me to ensure I didn't forget to eat" are shared. Concrete examples of "someone filling in the gaps so you can rest" are being shared. BabyForum.at

This is an extremely important suggestion. To realize "rest after childbirth," what is needed is not ideology but "substitutes."

In another thread, voices about postpartum depression include "the pain of breastfeeding was shocking," "I was too scared to sleep during the first two weeks," "I couldn't stop crying," "it might be 'baby blues,'" and "it's scary to be alone with my parents far away." BabyForum.at

The program's subtitle "nightmare" is clearly not an exaggeration.

On German bulletin boards, comments like "the first 2-3 weeks felt like being in a fog," "crying due to hormonal and lifestyle upheaval," "support is needed," and "while this period may be easier after the second child, the difficulty varies for each person" circulate as encouraging shared experiences. Experiential knowledge circulates as encouragement. urbia.de

In another community, there are shared experiences of "getting a high fever and chills after going shopping immediately postpartum," "overexertion can lead to inflammation," and "that's why you should stop and rest," highlighting "common mistakes." rund-ums-baby.de

What SNS-like spaces provide is not the imposition of correct answers, but a "reality check" that makes one feel "I'm not alone."

5) Why Has "Returning to Normal Operations Immediately" Become Such a Strong Expectation?

The program is sharp in not attributing postpartum difficulties to "the weakness of the individual's mind." Instead, the focus is on societal assumptions.

• The basic assumption is that fathers work and mothers manage the household

• Immediately after childbirth, household chores and childcare are expected to "run"

• Maternal instincts are expected to ignite automatically upon seeing the baby

But in reality, the 6 to 8 weeks postpartum is a recovery period, with significant hormonal and lifestyle rhythm fluctuations. gesundheitsinformation.de
Demanding "previous performance" during this period is akin to asking someone with a broken bone to sprint.

Furthermore, if there are regions where access to postpartum care is difficult due to a shortage of midwives, there is a limit to the gaps that individual efforts can fill. Springer Link
The program appears to avoid attributing support too much to individual goodwill because it considers this structure.

6) The Question That Remains After Watching: What Kind of Society Do We Want to Be in Treating "Postpartum"?

"Das Wochenbett" does not confine postpartum to a "domestic event." Instead, it returns the following questions to the viewers.

• Is postpartum rest treated as a "right"?

• Is there a work style that allows partners to take time off, and are there pathways to support?

• Is there an atmosphere and a window for consultation before the condition worsens?

• Is "having no choice but to persevere" the standard?

As the WHO and NHS indicate, postpartum mental disorders are not uncommon. Therefore, what is needed is not a mindset of endurance but a "design for early support." World Health Organization

Moreover, what the voices on SNS teach us is that what those involved want is "support that reflects reality" rather than "correctness." Cooking, sleep, a few hours of supervision, a conversation partner—these become the bridge that brings mothers in recovery from an "exceptional state" back to reality. BabyForum.at