Throughout your pregnancy, you experience
tremendous changes physically, hormonally and emotionally. Your body is
dedicated to the life forming over the course of about 40 weeks. But after you
deliver, you go through just as many changes in a much shorter timeframe,
including a sudden dramatic drop in hormones, while also recovering from
delivery and caring for a newborn, which can be exhausting and stressful.
Understandably,
this can be somewhat of a shock to your system and result in symptoms such as
mood swings, anxiety, sadness and irritability, collectively known as the baby
blues. Most new moms experience this at some point over the first couple of weeks,
but many women suffer from something more, postpartum depression, which, while also very
prevalent (it affects one in nine new mothers), requires attention.
Postpartum Depression Basics
It’s
important to know that whether you experience the baby blues or postpartum
depression, you are not weak or failing at being a mom. There are real
physiological reasons for these symptoms, and you are far from alone in feeling
the way you do. Fortunately, help is available.
Most
moms feel overwhelmed at some point and have trouble sleeping, eating and
concentrating. However, if the symptoms are intense or last longer than a
couple weeks, or if you find you have trouble bonding with your baby or
handling daily tasks, it’s important to talk to your care provider as soon as
possible. Untreated, postpartum depression can last many months and interfere
with your ability to care for your baby and yourself.
Other
signs of postpartum depression may include:
·
Depression
or severe mood swings
·
Excessive
crying
·
Withdrawing
from family and friends
·
Inability
to sleep
·
Overwhelming
fatigue, loss of energy or sleeping too much
·
Loss
of appetite or overeating
·
Reduced
interest and pleasure in activities you usually enjoy
·
Intense
irritability and anger
·
Feelings
of worthlessness, fear, shame, guilt, inadequacy or hopelessness
·
Diminished
ability to think clearly, concentrate or make decisions
·
Severe
anxiety and panic attacks
Ask for Help
If
you experience any of these symptoms or worse, talk to your health care
provider. Treatment ranges based on the severity
of your symptoms. For the baby blues, getting as much rest as you can, asking
friends and family for help, and connecting with other new moms can go a long
way. For postpartum depression, talk therapy, antidepressants or a combination of
both reduce symptoms and the risk for chronic depression and helps you better
care for and bond with your baby.
Although
rare, postpartum psychosis develops in some moms and requires immediate help. If
you experience disorientation, obsessive thoughts, hallucinations or paranoia,
or if you are behaving recklessly or have thoughts of harming yourself or your
baby, seek help immediately from a loved one to care for your baby and call 911
or your local emergency assistance number to get help.
Although
the media often portrays new motherhood as a time of bliss and bonding, the
reality for most women can be more of a rollercoaster. We’re here to help.
We’ll ask about your thoughts and feelings when you come in for regular
postpartum appointments, but if you have concerns in between, call our office with any questions or to schedule an additional appointment.
