Baby Blues is a very common condition. According to the American Pregnancy Association, 80% of new moms have the Baby Blues. Common causes tend to be hormonal changes and lack of sleep or rest.
It’s very normal for a pregnant woman to have sad feelings and/or anxiety before and after giving birth and it may last about two weeks. If it persists, she should call her health care provider.
Here are some of the signs:
- Crying for no apparent reason
- Feeling weird – not being yourself
- Sadness, Irritability and Impatience
- Anxiety
- Poor Concentration
- Mood Change
- Restless
A good family/ community support and postpartum professional such as postpartum doula, sleep trainer or a newborn care specialist, can help a lot. Also other people in your life such as the nanny, a mother’s helper, housekeeper, neighbor or simply, a friend. It’s important for a new mother to know that she is not alone on her new journey. Wether it is her first child or second, it really doesn’t matter. Post Natal phase requires care.
Post Partum Depression (PPD):
Pregnancy changes you physically and emotionally. The emotions ranges from excitement and joy to fear and insecurity causing anxiety really quick. Those feelings are lead by adrenaline which is the enemy of oxytocin, the love hormone, and it plays a very important role during labor and lactation period.
According to the American Pregnancy Association, 1 in 8 moms suffer from PPD. It can be caused by many factors such as:
- Chemical imbalance during hormonal changes
- Previous history of Depression
- Bipolar Disorder
- Abusive relationships
- Alcohol or drug abuse
- Financial worries
- Lack of family/ social support
- Post Natal depletion
Here are some of the signs PPD:
- Persistent sadness, anxiety, mood change and irritability
- Low energy or lethargy
- Finding difficulty to bond with your baby
- Little or no interest in hobbies or activities that you enjoyed before
- Low sex drive
- Thoughts of hurting yourself, or others including your own baby.
If you are experiencing some of those symptoms, please talk to someone that you trust and look for a health care provider.
When we talk about Postpartum Depression during Postnatal care, it’s important to point out that rather a woman keeps her baby, places her baby for adoption or has suffered the loss of a baby through death; all of them should have access to resources in the event their PPD continues.
PPD can be cured, but when it’s unnoticed and untreated, it can become severe. This condition requires a professional health care to handle it. Here are some common resources to address PPD:
- Primary Doctor: Prevents, diagnoses and treats disease
- OBGYN: Focuses on reproductive health in woman and childbirth
- Clinical psychologist:Treats mental disorders primarily with talk
- Psychiatrist: Treats mental disorders with medications
- Holistic Approach: Checking levels of vitamins and minerals via blood test to introduce a healthy diet to nurture mom’s body.
Don’t feel embarrassed if you are suffering from PPD, it is common and it must be addressed.
