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For a long time, mothers hid their experience with postpartum depression symptoms.
With more women coming and talking about their experiences, the issue has come to the limelight. Perinatal mood disorder (PPD) is brought on by bodily changes in women. After having children, hormone levels rapidly change and fall, and emotional effects are exacerbated by lack of sleep.
According to Postpartum Support International, PPD is the most frequent consequence of childbirth, affecting roughly 15% of women, but it's exceedingly uncommon to hear anyone discuss it. Even more denial surrounds postpartum psychosis.
How are Baby Blues Different from Postpartum Depression Symptoms?
Throughout and after pregnancy, the body and mind go through many changes. Reach out for assistance if you have prolonged periods of feeling hollow, emotionless, or depressed for more than two weeks during or after pregnancy.
In the days following childbirth, many women experience baby blues. Those who experience baby blues may:
- Experience mood swings
- Feel depressed, worried, or overwhelmed
- Frequent crying fits
- Changes in eating habits
- Have Sleep Issues
In most cases, baby blues subside 3-5 days after they first appear. Postpartum depression symptoms are more intense and stay longer.
Although it can start throughout pregnancy or up to a year after giving birth, postpartum depression symptoms typically appear within the first month after giving birth. You may have postpartum depression if you believe that you don't love or care for your newborn.
Identification of Postpartum Depression Symptoms
Postpartum depression shares many of the same symptoms as depression. They consist of:
- Feeling depressed or sad
- Being unable to find pleasure in activities that you typically find enjoyable
- Fatigue or a lack of energy
- Inadequate focus or attention
- Low confidence and self-esteem
- Sleep disturbances even while your child is asleep
- Changes in appetite
You may also feel distant from your child or partner, and you might even consider harming yourself or the child.
It can be incredibly frightening to consider hurting your child, but keep in mind that it doesn't guarantee you will do it. You can get the assistance you require as soon as you talk to someone about your thoughts and feelings, such as a friend, relative, doctor, or midwife.
Factors Contributing to Postpartum Depression Symptoms
The precise causes of postpartum depression symptoms are still unknown. Possible contributory elements are as follows:
1) Physical Changes
Even a relatively simple birth is a physically taxing process for a woman's body. Additionally, the abrupt decline in pregnancy hormones changes the chemicals in the brain (neurotransmitters). Depressive disorders can also be exacerbated by poor sleep and tiredness.
2) Emotional Changes
Changing your emotional state to become a parent is difficult. A new mother must contend with her child's unceasing needs, a change in the nature of her relationships, and the loss of her freedom.
Even though such changes are difficult at all times, they become especially difficult when a woman is still healing physically from childbirth and is having trouble sleeping.
3) Social Changes
A woman may feel that she must live up to the high expectations society has of new mothers. She may find it more difficult to stay in touch with her friends and coworkers. Living on one salary could also be challenging at first.
Men and Postpartum Depression Symptoms
Men can also experience mood disorders as a result of having a newborn. Research has found that if one parent experiences depression, the other parent is more likely to experience depression symptoms.
According to a study, 10% of men displayed signs of sadness from a partner's first trimester of pregnancy up to six months after the baby was born. That percentage rose to 26% between three and six months following delivery.
Additionally, a study published in a different journal that examined more than 1,700 fathers of children under one-year olds discovered that depression had a negative impact on parenting. Dads with depression are more likely to beat their kids and less likely to read to them.
Some women choose not to disclose their postpartum depression symptoms. When a new mother is unhappy when she should be pleased, she could feel embarrassed, ashamed, or guilty. They can be concerned about being viewed as bad mothers. Any woman can experience depression throughout their pregnancy or after giving birth.
You're not a bad mother because of it. You don't need to endure pain with your infant. Help is available, and your doctor can assist you in determining whether depression or another factor is to blame for your postpartum depression symptoms.
Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a Master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.
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