A 35-year-old female gives birth to a healthy female child after trying to conceive for six years. Both parents and all the family members are overjoyed because of the newest addition to the family. The couple feels on the top of the world. Contrary to expectation, the mother, within few days, started feeling sad, didn`t experience attachment to the child, didn`t want to breastfeed, developed sleep issues, and was hopeless and frustrated with everything. She didn`t express this to anyone, because of the guilt and fear of being not understood. However, everything subsided, and she felt happy gradually with span of two weeks.<\/p>\n
A 24-year-old female gives birth to 3.2 kg healthy baby boy after two years of marriage. Everything seemed to be normal till two weeks of delivery, following which she developed sleep disturbances, irritability, refused taking care of baby, and expressed suspiciousness that her family members would harm the child. These symptoms persisted for one week, following which she was taken to hospital and admitted. After start of treatment, she improved gradually and was discharged.<\/p>\n
Childbirth is a blissful moment and celebrated with joy and happiness in every family. No one can imagine it could have any negative impact on anyone, especially the mother. Journey of pregnancy is different for every individual. A woman`s body undergoes a major transformation during pregnancy and postpartum (six weeks post-delivery) in terms of hormonal levels, bodily changes, added responsibilities, and adjustment in relationship. All these can trigger a cascade of powerful emotions, from excitement and joy to fear and anxiety. These can predispose an individual to some mental health issues.<\/p>\n
Most new moms can experience varied psychological issues, ranging from postpartum blues and postpartum depression to psychosis. One of the important things is to understand that postpartum depression, or any mental health issue, isn`t a weakness, rather, a complication of childbirth. Postpartum depression is linked to chemical, social, and psychological changes that happen when having a baby. The term describes a range of physical and emotional changes that many new mothers experience. PPD can be treated with medication and counseling, so if you have any mental health issues during this period, prompt intervention can help you get better and aid in proper bonding with the baby.<\/p>\n
The chemical changes involve a rapid drop in hormones after delivery. The actual link between this drop and depression is still not clear. But, what is known is that the levels of estrogen and progesterone, the female reproductive hormones, increase tenfold during pregnancy. Then, they drop sharply after delivery. By the third day after a woman gives birth, the levels of these hormones drop back to what they were before pregnancy. In addition to these chemical changes, the social and psychological changes of having a baby create an increased risk of depression.<\/p>\n
Interesting finding is that, even new fathers aren\u2019t immune. Research shows that about one in 10 new fathers get depression during the year their child is born.<\/p>\n
Risk Factors of Postpartum Depression<\/strong> Causes of Postpartum Depression<\/strong> Types of Postpartum Depression<\/strong> Postpartum Depression Symptoms<\/strong> Postpartum depression signs and symptoms may include:<\/strong> Untreated, postpartum depression may last for many months, or longer.<\/p>\n Postpartum Psychosis<\/strong> When to see a Doctor<\/strong> Postpartum Depression Prevention<\/strong> Managing after Childbirth<\/strong> Treatment<\/strong> A 35-year-old female gives birth to a healthy female child after trying to conceive for six years. Both parents and all the family members are overjoyed because of the newest addition to the family. The couple feels on the top of the world. Contrary to expectation, the mother, within few days, started feeling sad, didn`t …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":90,"featured_media":2905,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[39,107],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2904","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-feature","category-flash-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/medicosnext.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/sa.jpg?fit=499%2C356&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/medicosnext.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2904","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/medicosnext.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/medicosnext.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medicosnext.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/90"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medicosnext.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2904"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/medicosnext.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2904\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medicosnext.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2905"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/medicosnext.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2904"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medicosnext.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2904"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medicosnext.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2904"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nNo single factor is responsible for development of postpartum. The combination of biological, psychological, and social factors contributes to its development.
\n\u2022 A history of depression prior to becoming pregnant, or during pregnancy
\n\u2022 Age at time of pregnancy (the younger you are, the higher the chances)
\n\u2022 Unplanned\/ unwanted pregnancy
\n\u2022 Children (the more you have, the more likely you are to be depressed in a later pregnancy)
\n\u2022 Family history of mood disorders
\n\u2022 Going through an extremely stressful event, like a job loss or health crisis
\n\u2022 Having a child with special needs or health problems
\n\u2022 Having twins or triplets
\n\u2022 Having a history of depression or premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)
\n\u2022 Limited social support or living alone
\n\u2022 Marital conflict<\/p>\n
\nThere’s no single cause of postpartum depression, but physical and emotional issues may play a role.
\n\u2022 Physical changes. After childbirth, a massive drop in hormones (estrogen and progesterone) occurs, which may contribute to postpartum depression. Other hormones like thyroid also drop sharply, which can leave you feeling tired, sluggish, and depressed.
\n\u2022 Emotional issues. When you’re sleep deprived and overwhelmed, you may have trouble handling even minor problems. You may be anxious about your ability to care of a newborn. You may feel less attractive, struggle with your sense of identity, or feel that you’ve lost control over your life. Any of these issues can contribute to postpartum depression.<\/p>\n
\nThere are three terms used to describe the mood changes women can have after giving birth:
\n\u2022 “Baby blues” happen to as many as 70% of women in the days right after childbirth. You may have sudden mood swings, such as feeling very happy, and then feeling very sad. You may cry for no reason and can feel impatient, cranky, restless, anxious, lonely, and sad.
\n\u2022 The baby blues may last only a few hours, or as long as one to two weeks after delivery. Usually, you don\u2019t need treatment for baby blues. The symptoms usually improve within span of one to two weeks on its own.<\/p>\n
\nPostpartum depression may be mistaken for baby blues at first, but the signs and symptoms are more intense and last longer and may eventually interfere with your ability to care for your baby and handle other daily tasks. Symptoms usually develop within the first few weeks after giving birth, but may begin earlier\u2014during pregnancy up to a year after birth.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Depressed mood or severe mood swings
\n\u2022 Excessive crying
\n\u2022 Difficulty bonding with your baby
\n\u2022 Withdrawing from family and friends
\n\u2022 Loss of appetite or eating much more than usual
\n\u2022 Inability to sleep (insomnia) or sleeping too much
\n\u2022 Overwhelming fatigue or loss of energy
\n\u2022 Reduced interest and pleasure in activities you used to enjoy
\n\u2022 Intense irritability and anger
\n\u2022 Fear that you’re not a good mother
\n\u2022 Hopelessness
\n\u2022 Feelings of worthlessness, shame, guilt, or inadequacy
\n\u2022 Diminished ability to think clearly, concentrate or make decisions
\n\u2022 Restlessness, severe anxiety, and panic attacks
\n\u2022 Thoughts of harming self or baby
\n\u2022 Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide<\/p>\n
\nPostpartum psychosis is a rare condition that typically develops within the first week after delivery; the signs and symptoms are severe and include:
\n\u2022 Confusion and disorientation
\n\u2022 Obsessive thoughts about your baby
\n\u2022 Hallucinations and delusions
\n\u2022 Sleep disturbances
\n\u2022 Excessive energy and agitation
\n\u2022 Paranoia and attempts to harm self or baby
\nPostpartum psychosis may lead to life-threatening thoughts or behaviors and requires immediate treatment.<\/p>\n
\nIt’s important to call your doctor as soon as possible if the signs and symptoms of depression have any of these features:
\n\u2022 Don’t fade after two weeks
\n\u2022 Are getting worse
\n\u2022 Make it hard for you to care for your baby
\n\u2022 Make it hard to complete everyday tasks
\n\u2022 Include thoughts of harming yourself or your baby<\/p>\n
\nIf you have a history of depression, tell your doctor as soon as you find out you\u2019re pregnant, or if you\u2019re planning to become pregnant.
\n\u2022 During pregnancy: Monitor your symptoms. You can manage mild depression symptoms with support groups, counseling, or other therapies. Medications can be prescribed, even while pregnant, if required.
\n\u2022 After your baby is born: An early postpartum checkup to look for symptoms of depression. The earlier you\u2019re diagnosed, the earlier you can begin treatment. If you have a history of postpartum depression, your doctor may recommend treatment as soon as you have the baby.<\/p>\n
\nHere are some tips that can help you cope with bringing home a newborn:
\n\u2022 Ask for help. Let others know how they can help you.
\n\u2022 Be realistic about your expectations for yourself and baby.
\n\u2022 Exercise within the limits; take a walk and get out of the house for a break.
\n\u2022 Expect some good days and some bad days.
\n\u2022 Follow a sensible diet; avoid alcohol and caffeine.
\n\u2022 Foster the relationship with your partner, make time for each other.
\n\u2022 Keep in touch with family and friends, don\u2019t isolate yourself.
\n\u2022 Sleep or rest when your baby sleeps.<\/p>\n
\nPostpartum depression is treated differently, depending on the type of symptoms and how severe they are. Treatment options include anti-anxiety or antidepressant medications, psychotherapy, and participation in a support group for emotional support and education. In the case of postpartum psychosis, drugs used to treat psychosis are usually added. Hospital admission is also often necessary.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"