They once called it having “baby blues” or even “postpartum psychosis.” Today, the term for mothers having anxiety and depression after having a baby is called “postpartum depression” (PPD), and about one in 10 women will experience it, according to PostpartumDepression.org.
More awareness and less stigma surrounds mental health issues, especially around postpartum depression now. Doctors help these moms more effectively with therapy and medication, if appropriate. A study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that mothers who participated in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-based interventions were 70% less likely to develop PPD after the birth of their child.
What Makes It Postpartum Depression?
Many women have some anxiety before and right after birth. The prospect of caring for a newborn may be daunting. Some anxiety is natural. Some feelings of sadness, emptiness, or depression may follow the onslaught of labor and birth hormones. If a woman has lost a loved one, she may be sad that person will never see her baby. These are all normal, natural emotions.
Doctors become concerned their patients may have PPD if the symptoms last longer than a few days. If the symptoms get rapidly worse, the woman may have developed true postpartum psychosis, which is a serious mental illness.
PPD usually lasts about two or three weeks, and symptoms may include sadness, guilt, feelings of worthlessness, anxiety, and disturbed sleep. PPD can keep a woman from doing routine tasks, like taking care of themselves. If a woman has these symptoms, but her bloodwork and other tests are normal, her OB/GYN may have her do a PPD questionnaire to get a better idea of the woman’s mental status and whether her feelings are short-term or whether she has PPD.
Postpartum psychosis, on the other hand, may involve self-harm ideations, hallucinations, either mania or extreme depression, confusion, and restlessness. The woman may also have fantasies about harming her child. Postpartum psychosis is a serious issue and a medical emergency that requires prompt treatment.
Treatments for PPD
There’s news for those suffering from either PPD or postpartum psychosis. PPD can be treated. According to the NIH study, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), or talk therapy, is one of the most effective treatments for women experiencing PPD. One possible CBT therapy model called “Happy Mother-Healthy Baby” has helped a number of mothers deal with the feelings they may experience after birth.
The Happy Mother-Happy Baby model helps women with their fears and anxieties regarding pregnancy. In one study, women in Pakistan who worked through this program learned to identify their fears regarding pregnancy, including fears of miscarriage. The therapy taught women to replace their negative thoughts with positive, happy ones. As a result, the incidence of PPD was much lower.
Pamela J. Surkan, Ph.D., from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, led the study. She said, “Postpartum depression not only harms mothers, it is also associated with poorer physical growth and delayed cognitive development in their children… The link between maternal and child health highlights the critical importance of developing effective ways to address postpartum anxiety and depression.”
Women who have postpartum psychosis are often hospitalized in a psychiatric unit, where they receive appropriate CBT, as well as medications, including antipsychotics, antidepressants, and medications to help stabilize their hormone levels.
The recovery time for the condition is two weeks to about three months, with prompt, appropriate treatment. Some women have a longer recovery time, up to a year. Rapid treatment is the most important part of the process.
Can Women Avoid PPD?
Is PPD avoidable? How can a woman stay as emotionally healthy as possible during pregnancy and postpartum? Hackensack Meridian Health offers some advice on how to avoid PPD.
Women should know what PPD is. They should always discuss this with their OB/GYN, who can give them information on the condition and help them understand the signs. This also includes educating the family, including the woman’s partner, on the signs of PPD and how to spot it early on.
Second, before the baby arrives, the family should decide how to split household duties after the birth. Who will take out the garbage or feed the pets? If the new mom is normally the cook, can someone else take over the job? This may also be a good time to subscribe to a ready-made meal delivery service to help reduce the amount of cooking and cleaning up.
Next, a mom should consider how she can make time for herself after the baby is born. Even small activities like reading a newspaper or watching TV for 30 minutes can help a new mom feel she’s still connected to the world.
New moms may feel there are no conversation topics besides baby subjects, so having friends they can call on is vital. They may need just a few minutes of adult conversation to help them maintain their mental equilibrium.
As is the case with most health issues, moms need to ensure they’re getting enough exercise and eating a healthy diet. Getting out for just a few minutes a day can make all the difference in a woman’s mental outlook. Sunshine and exercise are natural mood boosters.
It might seem hard, but moms should ask for help. If a woman feels overwhelmed or feels something is seriously wrong with her mental health, she needs to have a frank discussion with her OB/GYN, midwife, doula, or other professional. These healthcare practitioners are familiar with the issues women face before and after pregnancy and should be able to make appropriate, helpful recommendations.
If she doesn’t think she needs to speak with a doctor, maybe she just needs to talk with her mom or other trusted loved one.
Postpartum depression is not inevitable, and it can be treated.
This article was produced by Media Decision and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.