This may not be exactly what you are looking for, but here's my three strategies. First one is play the Glad Game. If you don't know what I'm talking about go and rent Pollyanna. It sounds really dumb, but it works wonders sometimes.
Secondly is exercise. If you can, try to do some exercise at work while you don't have to worry about baby care. Even just walk laps around the building or walk the stairs. It really raises your natural endorphins and will make you feel better.
**Warning** this may be difficult to read but I wanted to share it.
One other thing that works is to realize that there are people who have it worse off than I do. I have had several experiences but the first one was this: when Nitara was 3 mos. old she was in the hospital for reflux. This was the first time I had been taken seriously about her crying and not eating well, was when I took her to ER.
This was about day 3 of the hospital stay. She had a feeding tube inserted into her little nose, and she had an IV in her arms, and she had a splint on that arm so she wouldn't mess with the IV. I couldn't even hold her well because of that splint. Then while she was in the hospital she got croup and so everyone who came in was wearing masks and gowns and looked like aliens. I was not allowed to even take her for walks so I spent my whole time in that room, aside from running (almost literally) down to get some food and come back up again. I was going on no sleep (they woke us up every 2 hours to get stats), and didn't know it yet but my period was to start the next day-- my first postpartum period. Oh, and no family support. Dh was with Abi, I had Nitara. Abi could not visit b/c of the croup.
I was thinking, this totally sucks. I was feeling so low, I mean really, really bad. If it was not for Nitara needing me I would have walked out that hospital door and kept walking into the night. *That* low. I went into the hallway and wondered around, and as I went around the corner I came face to face with a teenage girl with no hair, hooked up to an IV, very thin and pale. I though to myself, she's someone's baby girl, too. She has cancer. She's missing her high school years. God, I was going to take my baby girl home again in a few days and who knows when this girl would get to leave, if ever?
It really, really helped me to not feel sorry for myself anymore. I have a child who has some medical stuff going on, but she's normal in every other way and will live a full life. Each time I feel sorry for myself again I make another trip to Children's Hospital for a routine appt. and see kids in the waiting room that are fighting for their lives.
I don't want to make this post a downer. I just wanted to share what worked for me, to remember to count my blessings and realize that it can always be worse.
