Beyond Baby Blues: Postpartum Depression in Women
Society tells us that becoming a mother is one of the most rewarding and joyful times in a woman’s life. But as most moms know, pregnancy and the transition to motherhood can be an emotional and physical roller coaster. Most new moms will get the baby blues, a temporary and mild form of depression. However, research indicates that for as many as one in five new mothers it is more than just a mild baby blues. Many women develop a more serious but highly treatable condition called postpartum depression.
Postpartum Blues or Postpartum Depression?
Almost every new mother will experience some form of depression soon after birth. Sudden mood swings that range from euphoria to intense sadness, crying spells, exhaustion, and anxiety, are all common symptoms that mothers may experience the first few weeks after giving birth. Mothers may naturally experience thoughts and feelings of inadequacy and frustration handling the newborn. However, Baby Blues decreases and wanes with the passing time, while with postpartum depression, the hopeless thoughts and feelings linger, and even intensify after 2 weeks, interfering with the mother’s daily tasks.
Postpartum Depression is a more serious condition than the Baby Blues, which usually starts within the first month or at any time within the first year after childbirth and can last weeks to months. In more serious cases, it can develop into chronic episodes of depression.
Risk factors for postpartum depression
Studies suggest that Postpartum Depression does not affect all women equally.
Factors such as a mother’s personal psychological and socioeconomic background, income, race, hormonal and physical factors all profoundly impact the likelihood of developing this condition. According to studies, the following factors can make a woman at higher risk of developing Postpartum Depression:
Having anxiety or depression before giving birth;
Being African American or Hispanic;
Exposure to serious stressors related to financial difficulties and intimate interpersonal conflicts;
Medical complications, negative or traumatic experiences before, during actual childbirth, or after birth.
Signs of postpartum depression
Apart from the fact that it happens soon after childbirth, Postpartum Depression is no different than depression that can happen at any time in a woman’s life. Naturally, the symptoms of postpartum focus on motherhood and infant care. Every woman is different and each will present with a different cluster of signs. These are some of the more common signs and symptoms of Postpartum Depression:
Sadness and depressed mood;
Depression accompanied by anxiety;
Physical feelings of very low or no energy;
Feelings of despair, helplessness;
Anger and intense frustration;
Negative recurring thoughts about her worth and adequacy as a mother such as, “Am I a good mother?” or “Am I bathing the baby properly?”;
Intrusive negative thoughts (almost always without real intention) which may include harming the baby or/and herself;
Excessive feelings of guilt having the above feelings and not feeling joy and/or not bonding with the baby;
Difficulties taking care of the baby;
Feelings of emptiness;
Anhedonia or loss of interest in things that would normally bring pleasure, including the baby;
Diminished or lack of sexual interest and pleasure;
Eating problems mainly changes in appetite, which may involve gaining or losing weight
Avoiding social interaction;
Sleep disturbance, even when the baby is asleep, and fatigue. It is a common symptom of depression that is difficult to measure since both are normal for new mothers and the father;
Restlessness, jumpiness, and edginess;
Diminished concentration and inability to think clearly, which can be worsened by sleep deprivation.
The difference between Postpartum Depression and Postpartum Psychosis
Postpartum Psychosis is a rare serious mental illness that affects one or two cases per 1,000 births. Symptoms usually start suddenly within the first two weeks, although sometimes they start several weeks after giving birth, and they may cause the mother to completely lose touch with reality. She may try to harm herself or her child. Treatment recommendations are similar to those for other forms of psychosis.
What to Do
Acknowledge the condition:
People tend to think of depression as sadness, but that’s not always the case. This tendency is even more strong in the case of new mothers when signs of depression are frequently missed because significant changes in sleeping patterns, interests, energy levels, moods, and body weight are a normal part of new motherhood.
Sometimes people treat the symptoms and fail to see the bigger picture. For example, while it’s not necessarily a symptom of depression to be sleeping poorly with a newborn, it can make postpartum depression symptoms worse. Sleep deprivation due to having a new baby can make a woman vulnerable to other factors that trigger depression or make postpartum depression worse.
Socio-cultural factors may hinder acknowledgment. New mothers may avoid acknowledging these signs even to themselves let alone talking about their depression due to feelings of embarrassment, shame, and fear of not meeting societal expectations of “the good mother.”
There is evidence that Black women may avoid talking about their depression due to fear of discriminatory attitudes due to racial stigma.
Consider possible effects of the condition other than its serious impacts on the mother-self:
Postpartum depression negatively impacts and causes significant marital problems.
The mother’s depression may trigger depression in the father and impact his functioning negatively, which may generate a highly damaging circle enveloping the family unit.
Postpartum depression causes significant difficulties in mother-infant communication and may negatively impact the child’s long-term behavioral and cognitive development.
Seek care and treatment:
Postpartum depression is highly treatable.
Do not let the above-mentioned barriers prevent you from receiving the care and treatment you need.
You are not alone
Motherhood (and fatherhood) is an enormous task that most are not prepared for. It’s important to remember that many dads (and moms) are in the same situation as you are. Take care of yourself for the sake of yourself and your family. Eat well, talk about your feelings to your partner, friends, and family, rest, exercise, and avoid irresponsible behaviors such as drinking alcohol and using drugs.
If your symptoms last more than two to three weeks, don’t hesitate to ask for help from a counselor or psychotherapist. This is not a sign that you are not helpless, but rather that you care about yourself and your family. Contact our office today, we’re here to help.