Postpartum Depression and Pregnancy

Depression is one of the most common complications during and after pregnancy. Postpartum depression can be mild or moderate, but can be treated with psychotherapy or medication. However, if a woman's depression is severe, it will be given the two treatments.

Women who experience severe premenstrual syndrome tend to suffer from postpartum depression after pregnancy. Mothers with postpartum depression love their newborns, but feel unable to become good mothers.

There are many reasons why pregnancy can make a woman depressed. A stressful event and hormonal changes are the two main factors that could trigger depression, which could cause chemical changes in the brain of a woman. Sometimes the cause of depression is unknown.

Sometimes the thyroid hormone levels drop dramatically after childbirth. Low thyroid levels can cause various symptoms of depression, including irritability, mood swings, fatigue, sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, weight loss / gain, suicidal thoughts, panic or intense anxiety and difficulty concentrating. A blood test can detect if a woman is having depression due to thyroid problems. When this is the case, thyroid medications are prescribed after pregnancy.

Categories of depression after pregnancy

The mood swings and other changes in a woman's body after pregnancy are classified into three categories: baby blues, postpartum psychosis and postpartum depression.

"Baby blues" is a common experience for new mothers during the first days of pregnancy. When this happens, women may feel extremely happy or too sad - both with inexplicable tears. However, this experience usually resolves after two weeks, even without treatment.

Postpartum psychosis affects only one in 1,000 new mothers. This is the most serious type of state after pregnancy, leading to bizarre behavior, self-neglect, confusion, hallucinations, delusions and illogical thoughts, which are often on the newborn. For this reason, it requires immediate treatment and constant monitoring.

Postpartum depression, on the other hand, are more serious than the baby blues symptoms and affects more women (15%) after delivery. Unfortunately, the symptoms of postpartum depression are not easy to identify because many of its symptoms are similar to normal changes experienced after pregnancy.

Depression post-pregnancy prevention and treatment

Many women are ashamed to talk to anyone about how they feel during and after pregnancy because of the fear of being called "unfit" mothers. However, it is important to understand that you do not have to suffer from these negative thoughts and bad moods because you could share these feelings and depression to other women experiencing the same thing.

Some women's groups and organizations offer group therapy to help women with postpartum depression. In this way, they could learn to overcome the symptoms and feel better about themselves, their babies and their lives.
Any kind of "talk therapy" can work. If you prefer to speak to a psychologist worker, therapist or social, you can ask for help on how to change your moods, actions and thoughts into something positive.

Some doctors recommend antidepressant medications to help relieve the symptoms of postpartum depression. However, you should consult your doctor about the pros and cons of taking antidepressants during breastfeeding. Your doctor may provide you with the most appropriate approach for you and your baby.

If you do not want to take medication while breastfeeding, you should try to rest as much as you can. Ask members of your household to do the chores for you. This allows you to reduce the stress of adjusting to a new baby.

Although you should not spend time alone, you can indulge yourself with a massage or spa. This can give back the self-esteem that you have lost during the depression. Make sure you share your feelings with your partner and talk to your mother if you need advice and help with the baby.

Pregnancy should always be good news. However, if you feel depressed for no reason, you should never be ashamed because this is a normal part of a woman's life.