Postpartum Depression

Postpartum Depression in Mommies

By Margaret Gaia

What is postpartum depression?

While it is exciting to create life, experience your new baby, and emotions to describe excitement are flowing frequently during this timeframe, it is shocking when one emotion comes about that you might not expect as a new mommy…depression.   Who would expect it?  You are experiencing one of the greatest gifts that humans can experience – and you should enjoy every minute of it…right??? 

Postpartum depression is the depression feelings which come about after childbirth, many of which can lead to long term depression.  Feelings such as crying, mood swings, and sadness which can enter and leave your mindset quickly, however some other feelings are longer lasting.  Either way, medical treatment can allow you to manage thru this with ease and help you to enjoy every aspect of your baby – yet it is encouraged to seek treatment if you are feeling these symptoms rather than to deal with it yourself.

What are some symptoms to watch out for after childbirth?

-          Mood swings

-          Stress ( high levels over simple things)

-          Sadness or crying

-          Low attention levels

-          Sleep habits are interrupted during the nights

These above symptoms are very common after having a baby, but can lead to postpartum symptoms such as:

-          Appetite loss

-          Insomnia

-          Mood swings which include anger

-          Thoughts of suicide or harming yourself

-          Thoughts of harming the baby

-          Tired all the time – no energy

-          No interest in intimacy with your partner – loss of sex drive

-          Life is meaningless

If you are experiencing any of these feelings after two weeks, it is important to seek treatment.  If you are ever considering harm to yourself or to your baby – please seek help.

What are some risk factors of experiencing post partum depression?

-          Trouble in your marriage before childbirth

-          Experience depression

-          Bipolar disorder

-          Financial problems

-          Stressful events

-          If your pregnancy was a surprise

What are some treatment options for postpartum depression?

Typically there are three options for seeking help with such an experience.  It is first important to recognize that this is not a weakness or an uncommon illness.  This does not define you as a mother – nor is it something to handle yourself.  These treatments exist because the disease exists and you simply are the one experiencing it currently. 

-          Counseling

-          Antidepressants

-          Hormone Therapy

Counseling is always good when experiencing feelings in which you view are not normal or simply ones that may worry you as a parent or new mommy.  It might be good to bounce your feelings off a third party professional such as a psychiatrist who might find a better way for you to deal with this disease.

Antidepressants are a good way to treat this disease.  It is proven – and will help balance the chemical imbalance within your brain, and the one which causes these irritable feelings.  On a side note, it is important to recognize that any medication you take will enter into your system.  If you are breastfeeding, that medication can be transferred to your milk, which will enter the baby’s system. 

Hormone therapy – this is a good way to get hormones back in balance.  Estrogen replacement might be necessary or this to occur, which counteracts the drop that occurs in natural childbirth. 

Either avenue you elect to participate in to simply this complex experience you might be having, it is good to seek professional help.  It is important to also be patience during your treatment, as it may take a couple of months to fully recover and get back to normal.