Postpartum Depression
As if going through a long pregnancy and overwhelming labor and delivery were not enough, once the baby is here there are multiple factors that can contribute to lasting mental health issues. Postpartum depression (PPD) is the experience of mild to severe symptoms of depression, which is considered a medical complication after the birth of your baby. If you believe that you might be suffering from PPD, continue reading to learn about the signs and symptoms, the contributing factors, and how to work on moving through this difficult time.
Signs and symptoms of PPD
While it is difficult to fit one’s symptoms of depression into a ‘box,’ these are the most common signs of Postpartum Depression. If you notice that you are experiencing some of these symptoms, is it possible that what you are experiencing is in fact PPD.
- Experiencing frequent mood swings, feeling extremely sad or angry at times
- Crying often
- Not feeling attached or bonded to your baby
- Isolating yourself from others
- Changes in appetite (eating more or less than you typically eat)
- Sleep changes (not getting enough or getting too much sleep)
- Feeling fatigued or like you have no energy
- Struggling to focus and/or feeling “brain fogged”
- Negative thoughts such as “I’m not a good mother.”
- Feeling hopeless about things getting better in the future
- Feeling worthless
- Having thoughts of hurting yourself or others
How PPD is Different From the “Baby Blues”
It is very typical for women to experiencing mood shifts from what feels normal to them in the weeks following the birth of their baby. The main difference between the “baby blues” and PPD is that the symptoms associated to baby blues typically reduce significantly in frequency and intensity about two weeks postpartum. If symptoms of depression increase in frequency and intensity or continue past that two week mark, this might be a sign of postpartum depression.
Contributing Factors
- Family history of mental health issues. If any of your family members have struggled with mental health issues, you are more likely to experience symptoms of depression or anxiety following the birth of your baby.
- Traumatic experience during labor and delivery. When labor and delivery don’t look the way we planned, or worse—something traumatic happens, this might impact your mood and functioning even after you leave the hospital. Traumatic labor and delivery experiences are more common than you might realize. This is because we often feel pressure to focus on how happy we are about the birth of our child, rather than the not-so-great aspects of the experience.
- Our body’s most basic needs are not prioritized . It is no secret that our body needs sleep, water, food, and movement to function. After the birth of a child, the quality and quantity of parents’ sleep are taking a hit for obvious reasons, but there is also less attention paid to food and water intake.
- Isolation. There are studies that show that new mothers who feel isolated in caring for their new baby are more likely to struggle with symptoms of postpartum depression or anxiety.
- Adjustment to a new way of life. With a new baby in your life, things look different. You might be struggling to feel connected to your partner or other children. Maybe you miss what your life looked like before baby. There is a grieving process that goes on for some new parents and this can contribute to the likelihood of symptoms of PPD popping up.
What to do If You Are Struggling with Symptoms of PPD
- Open up—don’t struggle in silence. Struggling with symptoms of depression does not mean you are weak or failing as a parent. When we struggle in silence, our symptoms tend to only get worse. Open up to trusted friends and family about what you are going through.
- Don’t compare your experience to what you see on social media. Just remember that what we put on the internet for others to see is often curated. This means that when you see other moms with perfect-looking homes and a house full of smiling faces, this is only one moment of their day. Comparing your experience to that is setting yourself up for failure.
- Seek support from other moms. Being a mom with a new baby can feel so isolating. You partner and/or other support people want to be there for you, but it is difficult for them to understanding exactly what you are going through. Reach out to friends that are moms or find new supports through resources such as the Peanut app.
- Implement structure into your day. Any parent knows that in those early days with a newborn, your schedule is largely dictated by your baby’s feeding schedule. This can make us feel as though we have accomplished nothing else by the end of the day. To help with this, set one small to medium sized goal that you can accomplish that day. This can look like texting a friend or putting the laundry away.
- Find ways to prioritize your self-care. Yes, right after giving birth your baby needs to be your primary focus. But to care for your baby to the best of your ability, you also need to care for yourself. All too often parents put their own needs on the backburner for too long. Ask a support person to watch the baby for an hour so that you can take a nap or a long stress-free shower. Do the things that make you feel good about yourself: style your hair, exercise or put a face mask on.
- Talk to your doctor about medications. Medications are most helpful in conjunction with talk therapy, as they will alleviate any chemical imbalance so that you feel able to engage in self-care and coping skills.
- Talk to a therapist. Getting engaged with a counselor is helpful as you will have a place to ‘vent,’ as needed, as well as develop skills for coping with your symptoms of depression so that you can live the life you want to live.
- If you are in crisis call 911 or a crisis hotline now. If you feel as though you cannot keep yourself or your baby safe, call someone for help now. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. The person on the phone will ask you questions to make sure you are safe, and also help you get connected to helpful resources.
Written By: Jessica Taylor, LPC