Postpartum Depression Can Happen To Any Woman Following A Pregnancy, And Knowing The Causes, Symptoms And Risk Factors Can Lead To The Help That Leads To The Cure
Postpartum Depression, or PPD. What is it, how can I tell if I, or someone I love, has it, and what can be done about it? These are all very good questions and ones that will shortly be answered in the following Postpartum Depression discussion. Just as the topic of Baby Names naturally flows into a discussion about the Meaning of Names, so also the act of being pregnant and expecting a baby should naturally lead to a discussion on Postpartum Depression. Postpartum literally means the period following parturition (the process of giving birth) so Postpartum Depression is a depression that follows the act of giving birth or having a baby. In the wider and more accurate sense it is a depression that follows the act of being pregnant and the accompanying hormonal changes that occur within a woman when she is pregnant, and the sudden drop in those same hormones when she is no longer pregnant. Any woman can get Postpartum Depression in the weeks or months following childbirth, a miscarriage or a stillbirth, all of which involves hormonal changes brought on through pregnancy and then the sudden and dramatic hormonal changes back at the end of the pregnancy. This topic is central to a happy family and home life since mothers are the heart and soul of the family, and when mother is not feeling well the whole family suffers accordingly. A wise husband, good family friends and concerned mother-to-be should all learn the signs and symptoms surrounding PPD and what can be done to help those mothers so affected. Since Parenting Baby will be of prime importance, and of course Baby Safety is paramount in every home, mothers who are suffering from Postpartum Depression need to be helped and healed as quickly as possible. There are three types or categories of mood swings that women can have following a pregnancy, and they are: 1) Postpartum Blues, also known as the ”Baby Blues”. These are the normal and often sudden mood swings that occur in the days directly following childbirth and include feeling very happy or very sad (or both); feeling anxious, lonely, impatient, restless and crying for no apparent reason. (These symptoms actually sound like what most men go through when they are overly hungry or tired, but I digress . . . . ) Once again, these “Baby Blues” are normal reactions that don’t require treatment of any kind and will usually go away after a few hours and up to a few weeks after delivery. 2) Postpartum Depression This can occur within days, weeks or even months after childbirth and includes all of the feelings associated with the “Baby Blues” but the feelings are felt MUCH more intensely, for longer periods of time, and actually keep women from tending to her baby, her family and even to herself. Postpartum Depression can be debilitating and can stop a woman’s normal life, her desire or ability to care for and bond with her newborn, and even her ability to get out of bed and do just about anything she would normally want or need to do for herself and others. Women often feel guilt or shame over these feelings but this is in No Way Warranted as the hormonal changes are the driving force behind the PPD, and there is nothing to be done about those inevitable forces of womanly procreation but to recognize when this is happening to you or to someone you love and then to seek out the needed treatment as soon as possible. 3) Postpartum Psychosis This is a very rare and serious mental illness affecting only about 1 in 1,000 women, mostly those with bipolar disorder or a previous history of Postpartum Psychosis. This illness leads those affected to have hallucinations, delusions, strange feelings leading to strange behaviors, and the desire or temptation to hurt oneself or someone else (i.e. the baby). This condition requires immediate medical intervention which usually consists of anti-psychotic medicines and counseling. Once again, this is a very rare condition so chances are excellent that this condition does not, nor ever will, apply to you.
The Symptoms of Postpartum Depression include, but are not limited to, feeling: • Anxious If you or someone you know is experiencing these symptoms following a pregnancy and have been experiencing these symptoms for longer than two weeks and/or has a prior history of having suffered from Postpartum Depression, then go see your doctor right away for an accurate diagnosis and the beginnings of the cure. Postpartum Depression is easily treated with counseling and sometimes with the addition of antidepressant medicines as well. Mothers who are breast-feeding their babies need to know that many of the medicines today are considered safe for both mother and child so try to hold off on any preconceived thoughts or opinions about breast-feeding and medicines until you have consulted with your doctor. Besides, a mother suffering from Postpartum Depression owes it to herself as well as to her baby and family to seek the help needed to snap out of the depression she is suffering from and to return to the light of a better, more normal world where she can be her best self once again. Women suffering from PPD need to be reminded by those they love and respect the most (Husbands and Fathers, are you listening out there??), that this is a temporary condition with a biochemical basis, brought about by hormonal changes beyond anyone’s control, and that women Should Not and Must Not feel as if they are weak, as if they had done something wrong or as if they are to blame in any way for experiencing Postpartum Depression. Where is the mother who is going to feel angry or blame her children if they catch the flu and fall ill? Of course a mother would not feel to blame or be angry at her children for getting the flu; the flu just happens. So also she should not feel guilty or remorseful in any way for suffering from Postpartum Depression as no woman wants PPD, signs up for PPD, or can control the occurrence of PPD. It, like the flu, just happens every now and again and nobody is to blame for it.
What are the chances that you or someone you know will suffer from Postpartum Depression? About 20% of those who suffer from Postpartum Blues (the “Baby Blues”) will go on to also suffer from PPD. Of those women who do suffer from PPD, 50% will likely suffer again in association with a later pregnancy. 25% of woman who have ever suffered from depression will likely suffer from PPD in association with a pregnancy. Other risk factors such as high levels of stress, lack of support from family and friends, financial troubles, family problems, physical limitations and a sick or colicky newborn are all factors that increase a woman’s chances of suffering from Postpartum Depression. Let’s be honest here for a moment: the above risk factors would make anyone, man or woman, more prone to feelings of anxiety and depression. It’s the rush and change of hormones associated with a pregnancy that adds that extra something that often pushes a new mother over the edge and into PPD. So besides talking to your doctor and getting the ‘official’ treatment of counseling and possible medication, what can family and friends do to help ease the burden and speed the recovery of someone who is suffering from Postpartum Depression? What Friends And Family Can Do To Help: • Assist in caring for the newborn’s wants and needs • Take over the household tasks and keep the home bright, clean and cheerful (Flowers • Limit the number of visitors to lessen the stress and anxiety felt by both mother and newborn • Simply be there to listen, support, empathize and understand • Encourage the new mother to get the professional counseling and assistance she needs, and help to get her to and from her various doctor appointments on time • Take over the cooking duties and be the family ‘activity chairman’ on an interim basis, and make sure to keep up the Parenting Fun and overall family morale as much as possible • Become better educated about Postpartum Depression What New Mothers Suffering From PPD Can Do To Help: • Ask others for the help you need so you can rest, eat healthy foods, exercise and get the support you need to feel better and to be better • See your doctor regularly to diagnose problems and to track the results of the treatments and of your progress towards feeling yourself again • Avoid alcohol, caffeine, tobacco and drugs not prescribed by your doctor as mood-altering substances will not help you to overcome a mood-altering depression • Maintain realistic expectations and be satisfied with ‘daily small victories’ to begin the healing process • Make a little time for your partner and family each day, and increase that time as you begin to feel better • Sleep when your baby sleeps and give yourself as much rest as possible • Don’t blame yourself in any way for suffering with Postpartum Depression • Graciously accept the help when it is given you, and always remember to smile and say ‘Thank You’ There is a lot more parenting wisdom to share. Here is another Postpartum Depression thought: Postpartum Depression is nothing to feel guilty about and nothing to take lightly. Be the Parent who seeks the help that you or someone you love needs in order to get the treatment that leads to the other side of PPD so your newborn baby can get the motherly love, affection and attention that he or she needs to grow healthy and happy at any time, for any reason, over and over again. Postpartum Depression Is A Temporary Condition That Gets Better With Time And With Treatment To Restore Affected Mothers To The Parents They Long To Be For All The Right Reasons To The Babies And Families They Love To Love.
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