How To Heal From Postpartum Depression
A lot of women suffer from postpartum depression, new mothers especially. Postpartum depression occurs after childbirth due to several emotional and physical changes a woman’s body undergoes.
You need to reach out for help if you’re feeling empty, emotionless, or unhappy for more than two weeks throughout or after your pregnancy. For example, you might have postpartum depression if you don’t feel like you love or care for your baby.
This article will serve as a guide to every mother – new or old, experiencing some sort of changes after childbirth.
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What is postpartum depression?
The term “postpartum” refers to the period following childbirth. Within a few days of giving birth, most mothers experience the “baby blues,” or a sense of sadness or emptiness.
The newborn blues usually pass in 3 to 5 days for most mothers.
What’s the “baby” blues?
It is more like a frequent transient psychological state that occurs shortly after childbirth, in which a new mother may experience extreme mood swings, crying for no apparent reason, feeling impatient, unusually irritated, restless, anxious, lonely, and unhappy.
Postpartum depression is more than the baby blues.
You may have postpartum depression if your baby blues don’t disappear or you feel gloomy, hopeless, or empty for more than two weeks.
Trust me, it is not typical or expected for a mother to feel despondent or empty after giving birth.
Postpartum depression is a significant mental disorder that affects your behaviour and physical health and includes the brain.
Sad, flat, or empty feelings don’t go away if you have depression, and they might interfere with your day-to-day existence.
You’ll find out the signs to look out for as you read on.
Signs you’re suffering from postpartum depression.
What are the signs that you might be suffering from postpartum depression?
Asides from the general feeling of emptiness, and sadness, are there others signs you need to know more about?
Let’s find out.
Some of these signs include:
- Depressed mood or severe mood swings
- Excessive crying
- Difficulty bonding with your baby
- Withdrawing from family and friends
- Loss of appetite or eating much more than usual
- Inability to sleep (insomnia) or sleeping too much
- Overwhelming fatigue or loss of energy
- Reduced interest and pleasure in activities you used to enjoy
- Intense irritability and anger
- Fear that you’re not a good mother
- Hopelessness
- Feelings of worthlessness, shame, guilt or inadequacy
- Diminished ability to think clearly, concentrate or make decisions
- Restlessness
- Severe anxiety and panic attacks
- Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby
- Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide
If you find yourself going through any of the symptoms above, you need to reach out for help.
Causes of postpartum depression
Many things can cause this depression, but there are some common causes of this depression, which include.
Hormonal imbalance
After you give birth, your estrogen and progesterone levels drop dramatically, which could impact.
Other thyroid hormones may also drop dramatically, leaving you feeling weary, sluggish, and sad.
Sleep deprivation
When you’re sleep-deprived and overloaded, even simple issues can be challenging to handle.
Anxiety or Worry
You might be worried about being able to care for a newborn.
Self-image
You might be less beautiful, have identity issues, or feel like you’ve lost control over your life. Any of these factors can cause postpartum depression.
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How to heal from postpartum depression
You may be hesitant or embarrassed to acknowledge that you’re depressed following the birth of your child. However, if you are experiencing any symptoms of postpartum baby blues or postpartum depression, you should contact your doctor and make an appointment.
Psychotherapy (also known as talk therapy or mental health counseling), medication, or a combination of the two is commonly used to treat postpartum depression.
Psychotherapy
Speaking with a psychiatrist, psychologist, or another mental health expert about your worries may be beneficial.
You can learn to manage your emotions better, solve problems, create realistic objectives, and respond to situations constructively through therapy. Family or relationship counseling might also be beneficial.
Antidepressants
Your doctor may prescribe an antidepressant. Any drug you take while breastfeeding will pass via your breast milk.
Most antidepressants, on the other hand, can be taken while breastfeeding with little danger of adverse effects for your infant. Working with your doctor to consider the risks and advantages of different antidepressants is a good idea.
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
One can use this to treat postpartum depression in extreme circumstances.
Anyone can use these treatments separately or in combination. Consult your doctor or nurse about the advantages and disadvantages of taking antidepressant medication while pregnant or nursing.
Depression can have an impact on your child. Therefore, you and your baby must receive therapy.
Conclusion
Taking antidepressants or attending counseling does not make you a horrible mother or a failure. On the contrary, obtaining assistance is a display of strength.
Maama, do not administer drugs on your own; make sure a doctor recommends it. If you’re currently experiencing any of the symptoms above, do not wait until it’s too late. Reach out for help now. You can do this.
Thank God you don’t have to do it all alone. Remember that motherhood is a journey made easy when we have the right people in our corner.
So, click here to go to the fantastic world of motherhood.
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Keep being #fabulous.
I am rooting for you.
Viv.