FAQs On Postpartum Depression

Around eight in ten new moms feel so gloomy after having their baby. The ‘baby blues’ kick in during the first several days after giving birth, typically emerging on the third or fourth day and usually disappearing within two weeks. When moms experience this mixture of emotions, impatience, irritability, anxiety, and constant crying spells, the emotions come and disappear by themselves. They may also feel intensely tired because of sleep loss due to trouble sleeping.

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Studies have shown that almost one in five new moms experiences different levels of depression, which often emerge four weeks after giving birth. It also starts just before the mother’s first period after delivery.

Postpartum depression (PPD) can affect any new mother, regardless of whether she has had children before. However, experienced mothers may be more likely to dismiss their symptoms as normal postpartum changes or feel embarrassed to admit they are struggling with mental health, which can delay diagnosis and proper care.

If you are a seasoned mom experiencing PPD, it’s important to recognize that it is a real and treatable condition. If you are someone who experiences postpartum depression symptoms, here are some steps you can take to manage postpartum depression:

  1. Reach out for help: Talk to your healthcare provider, a therapist, or a support group about what you are experiencing. You don’t have to go through this alone, and there are resources available to help you.
  2. Take care of yourself: Self-care is important for everyone, but it can be especially important for new mothers experiencing PPD. Make time for yourself, eat well, and get enough rest and exercise.
  3. Ask for support: Ask your partner, the other family members, or friends for help with childcare, household tasks, or anything else you need. Even support groups regarding postpartum depression can also help. You don’t have to do everything yourself, and it’s okay to ask for help.
  4. Consider medication: Antidepressant medication can be effective in treating postpartum depression, and it’s safe for breastfeeding mothers in most cases. But if you’re experiencing some difficulty breastfeeding you may talk to your healthcare provider about whether medication might be right for you.
  5. Try complementary therapies: Some complementary therapies, such as acupuncture, massage, or meditation, may help reduce symptoms of postpartum depression. Talk to your healthcare provider about what therapies may be appropriate for you.

Remember that seeking help for PPD is not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength. By taking care of yourself, getting support, and seeking treatment, you can overcome PPD and enjoy this special time with your new baby.

How To Support Partner With Postpartum Depression

If your partner is experiencing postpartum depression (PPD), it can be a difficult and challenging time for both of you. However, there are many things you can do to support your partner through this experience. Here are some tips:

Be understanding: PPD is a real and treatable condition, but it can be hard for your partner to recognize and acknowledge what they are going through, especially if they have a history of depression. Be patient, kind, and understanding, and let them know that you are there for them, and that their mental health matters. Make sure to also consider seeking professional health care to help navigate the challenges of PPD and the baby blues.

Educate yourself: Learn about the signs and symptoms of postpartum depression so you can better understand what your partner is going through. This can also help you know when to seek professional help. Postpartum depression can happen in both women and men. Fathers are also prone to having paternal postpartum depression.

Encourage them to seek professional help from a care provider: If your partner is experiencing symptoms of postpartum depression or any type of mental illness, encourage them to seek professional help from a healthcare provider or therapist to address their symptoms of postpartum depression. Offer to accompany them to appointments and provide emotional support whenever they exhibit signs of depression or postpartum psychosis.

Take care of household tasks: PPD can make it challenging for your partner to manage daily responsibilities such as cooking, cleaning, and baby care. Offer to take on some of these tasks to help alleviate their burden.

Be supportive of their treatmen: Whether your partner chooses medication, psychotherapy, talk therapy, or other treatments for postpartum depression, be supportive of their choices and encourage them to stick with their treatment plan while also considering potential risk factors.

Take care of yourself: Supporting someone with PPD can be emotionally draining, so it’s important to take care of yourself too. Make time for self-care and seek support from friends, family, healthcare providers, or a therapist if you need it.

To know more about postpartum depression, the baby blues, and other topics related to them, here are some frequently asked questions that might help you increase your awareness of the condition.

How Common Are The Baby Blues?

Approximately 50% to 75% of new moms experience postpartum blues after giving birth. Up to 15% of these moms will experience severe and longstanding depression, known as postpartum depression, after delivering their baby. Additionally, 1 in 1,000 women develops a more severe illness known as postpartum psychosis.

How Soon After Pregnancy Do You Get Emotional?

Women experience emotional outbursts in the first few days following delivery, particularly on the third or fourth day, and then they stop two weeks postpartum. These new moms may feel impatient, anxious, irritable, and tearful. If you want to be sure about your PPD, you may undergo an early postpartum checkup or take a depression screening questionnaire with available healthcare providers near you to see whether health problems and pregnancy complications may occur.

What Causes Madness After Childbirth?

Postpartum psychosis development is not very clear, but most probably, the sudden hormonal changes after giving birth could be one of the primary triggers. Some studies suggest that older mothers may also be at a higher risk, while a mom with diabetes who delivered a larger baby, for some reason, may be safer.

Is Postpartum Depression A Disability Under The ADA?

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Postpartum depression, also considered bipolar disorder or mania during pregnancy, is considered a serious complaint and could be regarded as disabling in several cases. For a disability applicant to be given an SSI or SSDI, some symptoms must be present, including recurrent sleep disturbances and loss of sexual drive, among others.

How Long Do Puerperal Hormones Last?

Six months after giving birth is an appropriate estimate for a new mom’s hormones to return to normal. This is also when many women experience their first postpartum period, which is not an accident. After six months, changes in progesterone and estrogen hormones postpartum are usually back to pre-pregnancy levels.

How Long Does Your First Puerperal Period Last?

As stated by the Cleveland Clinic people, most postpartum women have their normal cycle of between 21 and 35 days and a bleeding period of 2 to 7 days. However, these period cycles could change from the usual cycles that they usually had before their pregnancy.

How Do You Self-Check Your Stomach For Pregnancy?

To self-check for pregnancy, start by walking your fingers up to the side of your abdomen just until you sense the top, under the abdomen’s skin. It is usually hard, like a ball. You will feel the top by curving your fingers softly. Additionally, you can also use this technique to identify the location of the top of your uterus.

Can My Newborn Sense My Emotions Through My Facial Expressions, Tone Of Voice, And Body Language?

When newborns are only a few months old, they identify the disparity between a sad expression and a happy one. When they reach their first birthday, they can somehow feel how others feel.

How Do Moms Feel After Birth Emotionally And Physically?

Moms experience the baby blues during the first several days up to 14 days after giving birth. They may be tearful often and for no reason at all. They also feel moody, irritable, restless, sad or depressed mood, or frustrated. These emotions may be because of a lack of sleep, hormonal changes, and the stress that they are going through. A family history of depression and other external risk factors may also contribute to having PPD.

Can You Go Crazy After Giving Birth?

Postpartum psychosis is an unusual yet grave mental health condition that impacts a new mom soon after giving birth. Many mothers who have delivered their babies experience mild to moderate mood alterations after giving birth, which is called baby blues. This is actually normal and typically lasts for only a few days.

What Triggers Puerperal Psychosis, A Rare But Serious Mental Illness That Can Occur After Childbirth?

Substance abuse, trauma, severe stress, or an existing physical or mental condition can potentially lead to postpartum psychosis. Psychotic conditions, such as schizophrenia, entail a psychosis that commonly affects an individual for the first time in his late teens or early adulthood stages. Even though pregnant women have an increased risk of having one, young individuals are also particularly prone to getting it, although doctors don’t exactly know the reason why.

What Is Prepartum Psychosis?

Pre-partum psychosis is one subject that is frequently neglected in clinical practice. It is described as an episodic disease that initially begins two weeks before giving birth.

Can You Get Fired For Having Anxiety, Even If It Is A Diagnosed Medical Condition?

No. It is illegal for an employer to discriminate against you simply because you have a mental health condition. This includes firing you, rejecting you for a job or promotion, or forcing you to take leave.

Can You Go On FMLA For Mental Health Issues?

Mental health illnesses can initiate compliance requirements based on ADA and FMLA. PTSD episodes, anxiety attacks, severe depression, or other mental health situations may qualify as a grave health illness.

Is A Mental Health Condition Considered A Disability?

Depression qualifies as a psychiatric disability according to the ADA (Americans with Disabilities). It is a particular mood disorder accompanied by severe mood swings that commonly interfere with one’s daily activities, including your work capacity. Depression often gets so intense to the point that one cannot go to work anymore; the same goes for mood disorders when left untreated.

How Many Bones Do You Break While Giving Birth?

One form of birth trauma that can occur to a newborn in labor and delivery is a bone fracture. Studies show that bone fractures occur once in every one thousand births. This number may be relatively small, but it is substantial enough for expectant parents to be concerned.

Why Does It Smell Down There After Birth?

The smell is most probably due to a discharge from the vagina that is seen after vaginal delivery. This is called the lochia, and it possesses a musty, decaying odor, much like a menstrual discharge. The discharge during the first three days following delivery is usually dark red, and small blood clots are typically normal.

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Postpartum depression, if prolonged and unmanaged, is harmful to the mother’s physical and mental health and can absolutely destroy the family and other relationships, damage the child’s growth and language development, and ultimately weaken the infant-mother connection. The message from society that new mothers should be ecstatic and happy when giving birth does build hesitation and creates barriers to seeking help.

A new mother may be hesitant to acknowledge that she requires help and guidance with the depression that she is experiencing. She may not seek therapy and treatment because she is scared of admitting her emotions about herself and her baby. Treatment for postpartum depression is basically the same as that for major depression, which happens at any time in a woman’s life. It is recommended to undergo treatment because untreated postpartum depression may lead to interference when it comes to mother-child relationships and other family problems.

 

How Do You Recover From Postpartum?

How Can You Prevent PPD?

What Are Perinatal Emotional Phases?

What Not To Do After Labor?

Do You Need To Rest After Childbirth?