Postpartum depression is a form of depression that can affect new mothers within the first several months of birth. It is a form of depression that strikes just as a new baby needs to be taken care of and when bonding between mother and baby begins.
It is not the natural sadness that some mothers feel following the birth of a baby. This natural sadness is often mixed with feelings of joy and resolves itself within several weeks. This postpartum disorder is something more.
Risk Factors
Any new mother can experience the postpartum symptoms of depression, but there are certain factors that seem to make this experience more likely to occur. Previous bouts of depression mean an increased likelihood of depression postpartum. As stated previously, this does not make the postpartum form of depression a certainty, but it does increase the chances of depression occurring.
Poor support from friends and family may contribute to the likelihood. A sick baby could introduce an added element of stress that could increase your likelihood of depression postpartum, as could having a very stressful life in general.
Symptoms
Often depression symptoms are thought of as affecting an adult and those surrounding him or her, but in the case of postpartum disorders there can be a profound impact on the child, too.
The general symptoms include feeling sad, empty, and hopeless. Anxiety may present itself in addition to these. A loss of interest in life may occur. Changes in appetite or sleep patterns may manifest. An inability to concentrate is common as well. All these symptoms interfere with the mother’s ability to provide care for and bond with the new baby.
Treatment
The most common treatment is counselling services and antidepressant medication, much in the way that other types of depression are treated. A mother who is considering taking antidepressants will want to discuss the effect that such medication might have on the possibility of breast feeding for the child.
The main thing a mother can do is to get professional help and to maintain her own health. This means eating well, getting enough sleep, and getting regular exercise. All can help facilitate recovery.
Postpartum depression strikes at an inopportune time to say the least. There is no good time to be depressed, but the interference with caring for and parenting the new baby can be hard on both the baby and the mother. By seeking professional help, this depression can be treated and life, both lives, can go on as planned.
