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Postpartum depression (PPD) is a mental health condition that affects women after they give birth. After giving birth, it's common for some women to have baby blues for a few weeks. Feelings of sadness, loneliness, worthlessness, restlessness, and anxiety last considerably longer than a few weeks when postpartum depression is present.
Many new mothers experience emotional swings. They experience happiness for a moment, and then they begin to cry. Even when the baby is sleeping, they may experience depression, difficulty concentrating, hunger loss, or trouble sleeping. These symptoms often appear three to four days after delivery and can continue for up to a week.
Postpartum Depression Symptoms
Postpartum depression cannot be diagnosed with a specific test. At your postpartum appointment, your healthcare professional will assess you. This visit may involve a physical examination, a pelvic exam, blood testing, a discussion of your medical history, and how you have been feeling since giving birth. Many medical professionals plan prenatal checkups to check for depression two to three weeks after delivery. This guarantees that you will get the assistance you require as quickly as possible.
To determine if you are experiencing symptoms of postpartum depression, they may also conduct a depression screening or ask you a series of questions. They'll inquire about your well-being and that of your infant. To provide your provider with an accurate picture of your feelings and thoughts, be open and transparent with them. They can help you determine whether your emotions are typical of a mental health disorder.
While family members don't expect to experience negative emotions after the birth of a baby, it is very typical for parents to experience the symptoms of postpartum depression. These aren't just baby blues and can significantly impact parents' mental health.
It may begin with the feeling of being overburdened, which may happen in the first few days after giving birth. This may be common during the newborn blues phase, but more crucially, it may be during the two-week postpartum transition period and going forward.
You may notice that you or your partner don't take care of yourselves, and anxiety or unhappiness is your most prominent feeling. Most importantly, if someone ever has the thought of hurting themselves, their kid, or anyone nearby, it is a highly important time to call out for help. It's also possible that they have no feelings at all. While it may seem harsh, postpartum depression can deplete your emotional health.
Postpartum Depression Causes
More research is needed to determine the relationship between the quick reduction in hormone levels following birth and depression. While levels of estrogen and progesterone multiply throughout pregnancy, they quickly decline after birth. The levels of these hormones return to pre-pregnancy levels three days after delivery.
Along with these biological changes, having a baby causes social and psychological changes that raise your risk of postpartum depression. For instance, your body may alter physically, you may sleep less, you may worry about raising your children, or your relationships may change.
Postpartum Depression Treatment
When parents discover that they don't want to interact with their infants, that's when they should really be asking for assistance. As postpartum depression is being discussed more and more, many people are stepping forward to ask for assistance. A lot of us don't know where to turn. If you have problems reaching your obstetrician or gynecologist, you can always call your primary care physician.
Take care of yourself if you are suffering from depression by getting enough rest, eating a healthy diet, exercising moderately, and contacting your social support network. Pay attention to and act upon your body's signals to rest. If the infant is sleeping throughout the day, try to get some rest. You might also need to seek the aid of friends, relatives, or a hired nanny to take care of the infant so you can get some rest.
To recover more quickly from postpartum depression, you should also seek medical attention right away. There are several different treatment options, including counseling, hormone therapy, antidepressant medicine, and anti-anxiety medication. Support groups may be quite beneficial as well. If the new mother does not want to speak with the doctor directly, concerned family members should address these symptoms with the family physician.
If you don't have a primary care physician or that is not an option for you, you can always phone labor and delivery or the postpartum unit and speak to a nurse or a doctor on the call. There is always someone there to chat to and help you with.
Takeaway
You are not a bad person if you are depressed. It doesn't imply that you have done something improper or that you are to blame for this. Furthermore, it doesn't imply that you don't cherish your child. Remember that many other women have gone through the same thing if they have recently given birth and are experiencing any of the postpartum depression symptoms, such as sadness, the blues, anxiety, irritability, or fatigue.
Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a Master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.
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