Postpartum Depression

You would have heard about hormonal changes during and after pregnancy, nesting, labor, delivery, postpartum care and other painful stuff but were you ever told about POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION commonly known as PPD. It is one of the painful stage after labor pain and Delivery, or I should say worst than that because those are just physical pains but PPD is mental disturbance which affects our emotions. 

SYMPTOMS:

Mothers with postpartum depression experience feelings of utmost sadness, anxiety, and exhaustion which will make it difficult for them to finish daily care activities for themselves or for others. 

• 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
• Oversleeping, or being unable to sleep even when her baby is asleep
• Having trouble concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions
• 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 together with her baby
• Persistently doubting her ability to worry for her baby
• Thinking about harming herself or her baby.

CAUSES:

After childbirth, the amount of hormones (estrogen and progesterone) during a woman’s body quickly drop. This results in chemical changes in her brain which will trigger mood swings. In addition, many mothers are unable to urge the remainder they have to completely get over parturition . Constant sleep deprivation can cause physical discomfort and exhaustion, which may contribute to the symptoms of postpartum depression.

TREATMENT:

There are effective treatments for postpartum depression. A woman’s health care provider can help her choose the simplest treatment, which can 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 sorts of counseling shown to be particularly effective in treating postpartum depression are

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps people recognize and alter their negative thoughts and behaviors.

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 lady should ask her health care provider about the risks and benefits to both herself and her baby.

In my next blog I will share my story with you guys. How I came to know about PPD. Who told me about PPD. Stay tuned. Share this blog with others so that new mothers could be aware about it. Share Your Experience with me and I will share it with the world.moattarbhojani@gmail.com