Depressed Upon Giving Birth
Postpartum depression can be very serious if not detected and treated early enough. Not every mother who becomes depressed following the birth of her child is treated. There are many factors at play, such as access to healthcare, a supportive husband and family and interest from the mother herself to get treated.
Postpartum depression can occur for various reasons:
- Depression was experienced prior to pregnancy
- Depression was experienced during pregnancy
- A mood disorder was experienced prior to pregnancy
- A mood disorder was experienced during pregnancy
- Alcohol or drugs were consumed during pregnancy or afterwards
. . . and the list goes on. While 10-15% of new mothers will experience postpartum depression, about 70-80% experience the postpartum blues. The blues include symptoms such as:
- Irritability
- Impatience
- Anxiety
- Fatigue
- Sadness
- Insomnia
. . . and more. The baby blues is no where near as serious: it’s believed to be due to fluctuating hormones post-delivery. But caution remains as it can progress to a much more serious condition known as postpartum depression. When this occurs, most women require an antidepressant to adequately treat their symptoms during this exhausting period of their lives.
If you or someone you know is experiencing postpartum depression, the first step that should be taken is an evaluation by a physician. Do not take the risk of believing that you can defeat it on your own. Battling depression while taking care of an infant is a whole other ball game, as compared to battling depression on your own.
While both situations are bad, you now have an infant who relies on you for adequate support and care. But if you are not able to take care of your mental health, how do you expect to treat your baby with the love and care that it deserves? Remember that mental health has no boundaries: if you are feeling depressed, your baby will sense it and will most likely experience some sort of negative consequence as well.
Take your mental health seriously.
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