Postpartum Depression
Recognizing & Tips for Overcoming
“Sleepless nights, limited showers, constant screaming…I thought it was supposed to be fun, not a form of torture.” says Cindy (not her real name). Cindy gave birth three months ago to a beautiful, healthy baby girl, and anticipated that she would embrace and enjoy motherhood. She did not expect to feel depressed, nor did she expect that she would meet such resistance when talking about it. “People just didn’t want to hear how I felt, or criticized me for feeling like I wasn’t really into this motherhood thing”.
The truth is, the way Cindy feels is the way a lot of women feel - and never talk about. Post partum depression (PPD) is a serious condition that can follow the birth of your baby, and involves feelings you probably did not anticipate: restlessness & irritability, overwhelming feelings of sadness and hopelessness, shame or guilt about feeling depressed, excessive crying, and feeling like you are “not good” at mothering. You might even get some resistance from your family or partner when you discuss your feelings, because we are so conditioned to think that the early stages of motherhood should be bliss. The hype for motherhood can be built up so much for women. Whether it is by friends, family, or the media and when the big event arrives, our bundle of joy can feel more like a burden than a blessing.
Most women go through some period of time shortly after birth that is sometimes called “the baby blues”. This occurs mostly due to a severe drop in hormones (both estrogen and pleasurable neurotransmitters) post-pregnancy. This is different from PPD; the baby blues usually lasts just a few days, and does not usually require further intervention.
PPD, however, can occur long after the birth of your baby, and often requires some medical intervention to recover. It can also affect women after the loss of a pregnancy from termination or miscarriage. A combination of psychotherapy, medications, and social support is often needed to overcome PPD.
Symptoms of PPD are especially compounded because after the birth of a child, you are expected to perform well during one of the most stressful times of life. I often describe this as training for a marathon for nine months, and then having to run it with a broken leg on race day.
Cindy says, “I don’t know if I would have gotten through it without the support of my family and therapist…the medication was really important too; I was reluctant to take it, but it made a big difference in how I felt within a couple weeks. I no longer was afraid to be alone with my baby, and I realized its ok to ask for help.”
While there is no sure-fire way of preventing PPD, there are several factors you can be on the lookout for, and several steps you can take to ensure a swift recovery.
- Recognize the Symptoms of PPD. Your physician may not ask about PPD; so be proactive and ask them directly. Talk with your doctor or midwife about any fears you have about pregnancy, birth, or motherhood. Anticipate with your provider how these fears can be addressed in a real way, and even write them down!
- Get Support. Think about avenues of support in your area. Where are the “mom groups”? Who are the practitioners proficient in treating PPD? Support can take many forms so think about how you can speak with your loved ones about how you are feeling, and be explicit about your feelings and what they can do to be most helpful to you at this moment.
- Do One Thing Different! Change one part of your day to focus on just yourself and ask for help in accomplishing this if you need to.
- Establish a Team of care providers you can contact if you need to. Your list can include; your physician/midwife, a therapist, other new moms, a PPD support group, a massage therapist, an acupuncturist or a psychiatrist. A multi-faceted team approach is often the most successful in targeting areas of weakness, and helping you recover quickly. This is also a pro-active step that you can take before giving birth, just in case you start to see symptoms of PPD develop.
While nothing can prevent PPD, hopefully these steps can give you some insight into catching PPD early on, and developing a wellness plan that works for you and your baby. It is important to remember that you are not alone in PPD, it affects many women and recovery is possible.
