Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that can affect women after childbirth. Mothers with postpartum depression experience feelings of extreme sadness, anxiety, and exhaustion that may make it difficult for them to complete daily care activities for themselves or for others.
After childbirth, the levels of hormones (estrogen and progesterone) in a woman’s body quickly drop. This leads to chemical changes in her brain that may trigger mood swings. In addition, many mothers are unable to get the rest they need to fully recover from giving birth. Constant sleep deprivation can lead to physical discomfort and exhaustion, which can contribute to the symptoms of postpartum depression.
What are the symptoms of postpartum depression?
Some of the more common symptoms a woman may experience include:
• Feeling sad, hopeless, empty, or overwhelmed
• Crying more often than usual or for no apparent reason
• Worrying or feeling overly anxious
• Feeling moody, irritable, or restless
• Experiencing anger or rage
• Losing interest in activities that are usually enjoyable
• Suffering from physical aches and pains, including frequent headaches, stomach problems, and muscle pain
• Eating too little or too much
• Withdrawing from or avoiding friends and family
• Having trouble bonding or forming an emotional attachment with her baby
• Persistently doubting her ability to care for her baby
• Thinking about harming herself or her baby.
How can a woman tell if she has postpartum depression?
Only a health care provider can diagnose a woman with postpartum depression. Because symptoms of this condition are broad and may vary between women, a health care provider can help a woman figure out whether the symptoms she is feeling are due to postpartum depression or something else. A woman who experiences any of these symptoms should see a health care provider right away.
Some women more likely to experience postpartum depression
Some women are at greater risk for developing postpartum depression because they have one or more risk factors, such as:
• Symptoms of depression during or after a previous pregnancy
• Previous experience with depression or bipolar disorder at another time in her life
• A family member who has been diagnosed with depression or other mental illness
• A stressful life event during pregnancy or shortly after giving birth, such as job loss, death of a loved one, domestic violence, or personal illness
• Medical complications during childbirth, including premature delivery or having a baby with medical problems
• Mixed feelings about the pregnancy, whether it was planned or unplanned
• A lack of strong emotional support from her spouse, partner, family, or friends
• Alcohol or other drug abuse problems.
Postpartum depression can affect any woman regardless of age, race, ethnicity, or economic status.
How is postpartum depression treated?
There are effective treatments for postpartum depression. A woman’s health care provider can help her choose the best treatment, which may include:
• Counseling/Talk Therapy: This treatment involves talking one-on-one with a mental health professional (a counselor, therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, or social worker). Two types of counseling shown to be particularly effective in treating postpartum depression are:
o Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps people recognize and change their negative thoughts and behaviors; and
o Interpersonal therapy (IPT), which helps people understand and work through problematic personal relationships.
• Medication: Antidepressant medications act on the brain chemicals that are involved in mood regulation. Many antidepressants take a few weeks to be most effective. While these medications are generally considered safe to use during breastfeeding, a woman should talk to her health care provider about the risks and benefits to both herself and her baby.
These treatment methods can be used alone or together.
How to Cope
Create time for yourself
You may feel stuck on the couch breast-feeding. Maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed by work, household responsibilities, or your older children. Instead of dealing with these stresses alone, reach out for help. Take up your mother-in-law on her offer of free babysitting. Let your partner or another trusted adult take the baby for an hour or two.
You may find it helpful to schedule some dedicated “me time” once a week. Even if you can only get out of the house between nursing sessions, you can use this time to decompress. Go on a walk, take a nap, go to a movie, or do some yoga and meditation.
Exercise when you can
Researchers in Australia explain that exercise may have an antidepressant effect for women with PPD. In particular, walking with baby in a stroller might be an easy way to get in some steps and breathe fresh air. In a study published in Mental Health and Physical Activity, walking was found to be a statistically significant way to ease depression.
Can’t fit in a long exercise session? Try working out for 10 minutes a few times during the day. Fitness Blender is a good resource for short, simple workouts that you can do without any equipment.
Focus on Fish Oils
Now is also a good time to beef up your intake of omega-3 fatty acids, like DHA. According to an article published by the Journal of Affective Disorders, women who have low levels of DHA have higher rates of postpartum depression.
Seafood is an excellent dietary source of DHA. If you’re a vegetarian, flaxseed oil is another great source. You can also find supplements at your local grocery store.
Examine your Breast Feeding
Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that can affect women after childbirth. Mothers with postpartum depression experience feelings of extreme sadness, anxiety, and exhaustion that may make it difficult for them to complete daily care activities for themselves or for others.
After childbirth, the levels of hormones (estrogen and progesterone) in a woman’s body quickly drop. This leads to chemical changes in her brain that may trigger mood swings. In addition, many mothers are unable to get the rest they need to fully recover from giving birth. Constant sleep deprivation can lead to physical discomfort and exhaustion, which can contribute to the symptoms of postpartum depression.
Resist Isolation
The days may blend together, making you feel isolated at times. A study published by the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry shows that talking about your feelings with others can help shift your mood. Researchers discovered that new mothers had lower levels of depression after regularly speaking with experienced mothers who had previously experienced PPD. These results extended to four weeks and then eight weeks after delivery.
Although the peer mothers in this study had specific training on how to give phone support, the power of social interaction is undeniable. Try your best to get out or at least chat with other adults and moms for support.
Conclusion
PPD is treatable. Many women see their symptoms improve in six months.
Call your doctor immediately if you feel disoriented or confused, has obsessive thoughts about your baby, feel paranoid, or experience hallucinations. These are signs of a more severe condition called postpartum psychosis.
If you’re having suicidal thoughts or thoughts about harming your baby, call your local emergency services.
