Postpartum Depression
Postpartum
depression is different from the "baby blues" that occurs after about
75% of births. The baby blues is a mild form of depression, often with severe
mood swings, that usually starts a few days after the birth. The baby blues generally
lasts less than 2 weeks, and is thought to be caused by the hormonal change and
loss of endorphins after the birth.
Postpartum depression, which occurs in 10-15% of births is often mistaken for the baby blues, but it is much more severe and longer in duration. It usually starts within 6 to 8 weeks after the birth, although it can begin up to a year afterwards. Factors that are thought to contribute to or cause it are:
- the pregnancy was unplanned
- stress
- hormonal changes
- lack of a support system or a poor support system
- lack of sleep
- medical complications for the mother or baby, i.e., a difficult pregnancy or birth
- a prior depressive episode
- family history of depression
- predisposition to depression
Symptoms are:
- anxiety
- insomnia
- feelings of guilt and/or inadequacy
- difficulty making decisions
- difficulty concentrating
- sadness/weepiness
Some women with postpartum depression will also have postpartum psychosis, as in the case of Andrea Yates, but it is rare (1 in 1,000). If, however, you have any of the symptoms below, you must seek medical attention immediately.
- hallucinations (hearing voices or seeing things that are not there)
- delusions (having ideas that you believe despite all the evidence, i.e. that your baby is possessed)
- severe insomnia
- extreme anxiety and agitation
- suicidal or homicidal thoughts
There are a few factors that make it difficult for a woman and her family to recognize postpartum depression and get treatment. A woman who suspects that she might have postpartum depression often has trouble overcoming the sense of shame that her "failure" will engender. Woman are used to taking care of others and putting themselves last. Women with postpartum depression have to deal with not only the numbing paralysis of depression, but also the feeling that she should be a superwoman and not indulge herself by seeking help.
In addition, postpartum depression is underdiagnosed and underpublicized compared to other forms of depression. The American medical community has been slow to recognize it, and it was not added to the DSM, the official bible of psychiatry, until 1994. Because of this, women and their families must often be persistent about getting treatment in the face of skepticism from medical professionals who insist that a woman's postpartum depression is just the baby blues or difficulty adjusting to the new situation. It is imperative for a woman who thinks she has postpartum depression to get treatment. Depression is very likely to interfere with the bonding of mother and child.
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