Postpartum Depression
It is known by all that the birth of a child is one of life's most treasured moments. A new baby brings delight, as well as a number of changes to the lives of the parents and family members. But with the abundance of joy, this time in every woman's life has its ups and downs both physically and emotionally. Alot of focus is directed on the new baby, and a new mother may feel exhausted from lack of sleep and labor recovery. The baby blues is a common complaint for moms after childbirth, but if you see signs of full blown postpartum depression, medical attention is by all means necessary. The following information will help you determine if you are suffering from short-term baby blues or the real thing.
If you have experienced mood swings, anxiety, irritability, or crying spells since your baby was born, chances are you're suffering from a common complaint of new mothers, the baby blues. The baby blues usually occurs during the first few weeks after delivery and will normally last up to a week. Postpartum depression is a very real thing and is related to the rapid hormonal changes that occur after delivery. As stated above, factors that may contribute to postpartum depression include feeling overwhelmed by the new responsibility of caring for a newborn, physical exhaustion and other discomforts, lack of rest, feelings of inadequacy as a parent, or dissatisfaction with your appearance.
Postpartum depression, quite similar to postpartum blues, usually develops over a few weeks and the symptoms are more severe or simply do not go away. Depression, irritable moods, anxiety, inability to sleep, lack of appetite, guilt, low energy signify the real thing. Also, concentration, thinking, and memory may not be up to par. Excessive and/or obsessive concerns about the baby's health result in frequent calls to the pediatrician. The mother may start to fear that she will unintentionally harm the baby. In severe cases of postpartum depression, suicidal thoughts and thoughts of conciously harming the baby begin to bother the mother. Thankfully, cases of mothers with postpartum depression harming their baby are infrequent.
The first step in recovery from postpartum depression is to have the courage to seek help. Obstetricians, pediatricians, nurses and/or mental health professionals are familiar with postpartum depression and can be of great help. Family members, friends and others are usually very willing to provide support. Treatment is effective and usually involves talk therapy and/or antidepressant medication. Postpartum support groups are often reassuring and extremely helpful. In a support group the new mother can share with others and receive support and understanding from those who are experiencing these same emotions.
