Postpartum Depression: Symptoms And Treatment
When we hear “postpartum depression” we tend to visualize an overwhelmed mother with a crying child in her arms. But postpartum depression is much more than that.
Postpartum depression is a form of depression that occurs in women right after childbirth and can last up to a year.
There is also something called male postpartum depression, although there is a lower incidence of this compared to female postpartum depression.
According to studies, up to 25% of women may experience one or more of the characteristic symptoms of postpartum depression.
This tells us that its frequency is quite high, so it’s worth learning all we can about it.
Causes of postpartum depression
Postpartum depression in women can be the result of several factors. Some of these include:
- Physical changes. Pregnancy completely transforms a woman’s body. Once you give birth, the cause of all these changes is suddenly out of your body, so it’s hard to accept that your body will need some time to recover.
- Environmental changes. Now you have your baby. Your baby requires all your resources right from the start. You will see that your social and professional conditions are affected because you can no longer cope with everything.
- Loss of independence and privacy. The level your baby requires of your attention far exceeds what you imagined it would be. For a period of time, you will no longer have your own privacy.
- Lack of sleep. The fatigue that accompanies the first months of parenthood is well known. Lack of rest leads to exhaustion accompanied by depressive thoughts.
- The pressure to be a good mother. Allowing yourself to be influenced by those around you about what to do, and with your own beliefs thrown into the mix, can collide with reality. This clash of ideas can be confusing.
- Similar conditions as depression, bipolar disorder or anxiety.
- Use of medication, alcohol or other harmful behaviors during pregnancy.
Focus on recovery to give your baby the best version of yourself
Symptoms of postpartum depression
- Before talking about the symptoms, it is necessary to clarify that it is normal with periods of crying, anxiety and overwhelm two weeks after birth. Postpartum depression, however, brings sadness to another level and causes changes in the mother’s behavior toward her baby :
- Excessive interest or no interest in the newborn.
- Fear of being alone with the baby.
- Total lack of care for himself and the baby.
The following symptoms should be added to these behavioral changes:
- Agitation and irritability
- High levels of anxiety.
- Problems sleeping.
- Changes in appetite.
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt.
- Loss of concentration and energy.
- Thoughts of death / suicide.
What can be done to combat postpartum depression?
The most important thing is to know that it is more common than it seems. Motherhood is difficult. It comes with many changes that one has to quickly adapt to and it is not easy to accept all of these.
If you notice that feelings of grief in the first two weeks with your newborn baby are prolonged, seek professional help.
Whether it is in the form of medication or therapy, it is important to follow the recommendations of a professional.
These tips can also be helpful in treating postpartum depression:
- Look to those around you for support. Your partner, your family and your close friends can help you with housework around the house or with taking care of your baby.
- Do not be ashamed of what you are going through. Do not hide your feelings or have guilt. You have the right to feel sad and overwhelmed by your situation.
- Try talking to other moms about it. Many mothers believe that they should feel happy and hide what they are really going through for fear that they will be judged.
- There is no such thing as a perfect mother, but there are good mothers. Focus on getting yourself so you can give your baby the best version of yourself. Don’t worry, they’ll love you no matter what.
Above all, knowing that your child needs you more than anyone else in the world will help you find your inner strength that you need.
