Many women will tell you that their experience of childbirth was a breeze of fresh air and that the following days with their new baby were delightful, despite the challenges they were facing. Although that may be true, many will be silent about an important topic that happens to many, postpartum depression.
And no, it’s not the same as baby blues that happens to almost every woman. It’s always normal to feel tired and confused few days after giving childbirth. However, it is not customary to feel depressed, desperate, and even have suicidal thoughts.
Those could be signs of postnatal depression, a severe condition that you should not ignore. We at Trogolo Obstetrics and Gynecology are here to demystify this condition that happens to many women after giving birth and help you recognize the symptoms so you can seek treatment as soon as possible.
What Is Postpartum Depression?
PPD happens to around 15% of first-time mothers and those who have given birth before. Unlike the “baby blues,” it doesn’t fade off after a week or two, and the symptoms are much more severe.
It is a dysfunction that can cause notable mood swings, a sense of hopelessness, and constant tiredness. Many mothers with infants struggle to take care of themselves and perform regular daily tasks with symptoms like that.
It is highly advised to seek treatment with the first signs of a condition like this because good treatment can help you easily overcome it.
The Symptoms of Postpartum Depression
It’s common for women who have given birth to feel a little bit dissociated from the world, moody, and after all, tired. Having an infant in your life isn’t easy, and the tasks that come with this new experience are challenging.
But postnatal depression isn’t naïve, as well as everything that comes with it.
The manifestations of this condition span from mild to severe and depend from person to person. And even day-to-day.
The following could be indicators of postpartum depression:
- The feeling of tiredness but lack of sleep
- The constant sadness and an urge to cry for no apparent reason
- Sleeping too much
- Overeating, or eating too little, and losing interest in food
- Unexplained physical pain
- Anxiety, anger, and irritability
- Constant mood swings
- Problems with memory and concentration
- Lack of interest in things that sparked joy in the past
- The feeling of being out of control
- Feeling disconnected from the baby
- Feeling like a bad mother
- Feeling of worthlessness
- Feeling of guilt
- An urge to run away from everything
- Intrusive suicidal thoughts
- Intrusive thoughts about hurting the baby
You can experience one or two symptoms or many combined. They can start in the following weeks after giving birth, but there are cases of signs like this that have happened months later. Signs can last for just a few days and return after some time, or they can be constant. If it’s not treated, the condition can worsen, and the symptoms can intensify.
The Causes of Postpartum Depression
There isn’t one exact cause that leads to this condition. However, some factors are considered as significant contributors to it. A trigger for postpartum symptoms is often a combination of many physical and emotional changes.
Physical changes that can lead to PPD are:
- Hormonal change
- Sleep deprivation
- Poor diet
- Drug and alcohol abuse
- Other medical conditions
Emotional factors that can lead to PPD are:
- Lack of support
- Financial problems
- Recent divorce or a breakup
- Health problems (yours or your child’s)
- The recent death of a close one
The Risk Factors for PPD
It’s often mistaken that only first-time mothers can develop postpartum depression signs. The reality is that any woman can face them regardless of how many children she has, her age, or ethnicity.
Still, some things might just increase the risk:
- Family history of depression
- A previous case of depression or other mood disorders
- Severe health problems
- Unwanted pregnancy
- Recent stress
- Having twins, triplets, or other multiples
- Giving birth prematurely
- Insomnia and sleep deprivation
If you identify yourself with some of these risk factors, you should pay attention to the symptoms. If you notice some of them, you should talk to your doctor before symptoms worsen.
Prevention of PPD
It is not possible to completely prevent postnatal depression, but as you’ve learned about common risk factors, you can be proactive and try to reduce the risk.
If you are planning a pregnancy, you should consult with your doctor if you’ve had these experiences:
- Previous postpartum depression
- A previous case of mood disorder or depression
- You are currently experiencing signs of depression
The same goes if you experience these things during your pregnancy. By being proactive, you are doing everything in your power to prevent any significant mood crisis after giving birth.
Even if it’s not entirely possible to avoid the occurrence of PPD, you may be able to reduce the chances of developing it by:
- Making a good plan with your OB-GYN
- Getting your support system settled before the due date
- Maintaining a good and healthy diet
- Maintaining your physical and mental health
- Allowing others to help you
- Allowing yourself to get some rest and enjoy things you love
- Getting enough sleep
How Is PPD Treated?
A condition like this needs to be treated under a doctor’s supervision, and you should never decide on a treatment on your own.
As soon as you notice postpartum depression signs, you should notify your doctor to get started with the treatment as soon as possible.
The treatment for PPD often consists of proper medication and therapy. The two treatments can go alone, but it’s always better when they are used together.
When starting the treatment for PPD, you need to equip yourself with patience because postpartum depression signs are not going away in just a few days.
Finally, you will need to change some habits and incorporate new and healthy ones into your life.
Medication
When it comes to medication in treating postpartum depression signs, it’s usually antidepressants. You should know that it takes up to several weeks of regularly taking the medication before you can see any real change in your overall mood. What it’s vital to know when taking antidepressants is that some are safe to consume while breastfeeding, while others are not. So, it should be imperative to discuss this with your doctor.
And if you have problems with low levels of estrogen, you may need to try hormone therapy.
Therapy
You can obtain the best results if treatment with medication is combined with therapy. Depending on your conditions and postpartum symptoms, you can choose counseling with a psychiatrist, psychologist, or other mental health professional. With the help of therapy, you can ease the pressure you feel, silence destructive thoughts, and finally make sense of everything currently happening in your life. Also, in therapy, you have an excellent opportunity to work toward a better plan to manage your life situation and every new challenge that comes your way.
Changing Habits
Medication and therapy are crucial in soothing a nervous postpartum soul, and so are changing habits. You need to improve your everyday habits and start taking care of yourself. And the first thing you should do is put yourself first.
You should change your diet and opt for some healthier alternatives. Include more fresh produce, vegetables, and fruits in your diet, and cut out refined oils and sugars.
You should steer away from alcohol as it is a depressant, and it can worsen your postpartum symptoms. The same goes for cigarettes and caffeine.
Ideally, you should incorporate light exercise in your routine if it’s possible, and if it’s not, you can always do some walks to move your body.
When to Seek Help?
It is of utmost importance to seek help as soon as you notice symptoms that resemble PPD. If you’ve identified yourself in some of the symptoms in this article, you should contact your OB-GYN, especially if your symptoms are physical.
You can always address this problem with your doctor and ask for help or a referral for a good therapist. You can also ask for a suggestion for a local support group because it’s always easier to talk to someone that’s going through the same situation and is experiencing the same symptoms.
We at Trogolo Obstetrics and Gynecology understand how hard it can be to adapt to a new situation in life, like living with a new baby. It’s usual to feel slightly out of place, considering your whole life has changed, and your living habits are not the same. But if you are feeling extremely low and experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, feel free to call us; we are here for you. With early discovered symptoms and treatment, you can recover faster, and we are here to help you accomplish that.
