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So you've spent the last nine months preparing
for the arrival of your little bundle of joy,
but now that the baby's here, you're not feeling
quite as happy and content as you expected? While
the days, weeks and months after your baby's birth
are exciting times, your newborn's arrival may
bring with it some difficult and unexpected emotions
such as sadness, anger and feelings of being irritable
and overwhelmed.
Take it easy. It's normal. While these feelings
may range in both duration and severity, experiencing
some form of depression - from a few days of "the
blues" to longer, more severe depression
- is nothing to get stressed or embarrassed about.
In fact, feeling this way is perfectly normal
and, when necessary, can be treated.
As many as 70-85% of new moms experience a mild,
short-term depression in the days immediately
following childbirth. Often referred to as "the
baby blues," this condition can send a new
mom on a rollercoaster of emotion: she may experience
sudden mood swings, feeling overjoyed one minute
and sad, anxious, irritable or lonely the next.
Unlike more severe forms of postpartum depression,
this condition is short-lived - usually lasting
no more than a couple of weeks after delivery
- and doesn't usually require treatment.
But for some women, these feelings don't just
pass. As many as 13% of women experience postpartum
depression, which has symptoms similar to the
"baby blues," only severe enough to
interfere with normal functioning. And though
the most severe form of postpartum depression
- postpartum psychosis - is also the most rare,
it's the one we tend to hear about the most, due
to its potentially devastating effects. Women
suffering from postpartum psychosis may hear things
that aren't real and suffer from delusions, and
they are more likely to commit suicide or harm
their children.
Even when postpartum depression doesn't end up
in the headlines, it can still have negative effects
on your baby's well-being and development. From
as young as three months, babies are able to detect
their mothers' moods and having a depressed mother
has been shown to affect cognitive skills, language
development and attention. Children raised by
depressed mothers are also more likely to become
depressed themselves.
Researchers haven't pinpointed exactly what causes
postpartum depression, but a number of factors
likely play a role:
- Emotional factors: Having a new baby
- especially if it's your first - can be an
overwhelming experience. Learning to interact
with your new addition and adapt to your role
as a mom, combined with sleep deprivation and
anxiety over your new role, can be a tough situation
to handle. For some, this may contribute to
frustration or depression.
- Hormone changes: Immediately after
you give birth, your levels of the hormones
estrogen and progesterone plummet. When you
think about how just a small change in levels
of these hormones can affect how you feel before
your period, it's clear how such a big drop
after birth may trigger depression! As well,
levels of hormones produced by the thyroid gland,
which regulates metabolism, may drop, causing
you to feel sluggish and depressed.
- Other physical changes: After you give
birth, your body undergoes a number of changes
as it reverts to its pre-pregnancy state. Changes
in blood pressure, the amount of blood in your
body, to your immune system and more may all
affect how you feel both physically and emotionally.
- Lifestyle factors: There are a number
of other factors that may have an impact on
your postpartum experience, including: the level
of support you get from your partner and others;
your experience giving birth and whether you
had a caesarian; postpartum pain and complications;
your baby's temperament; having to care for
other children.
While you may feel overwhelmed and depressed
right now, there is some good news: These feelings
aren't a necessary part of being a new mother.
In fact, your doctor can recommend treatment to
ease your depression. Help is there for the asking,
and there is no reason to feel embarrassed or
to worry that others will think you are a bad
mother because you feel this way.
Postpartum depression is typically treated with
antidepressants, psychotherapy or a combination
of the two. While you may be concerned about the
effects of antidepressants on your baby if you
are breastfeeding, studies show that some SSRI-type
drugs can be taken with little risk. In particular,
researchers have found no adverse effects from
the drugs sertraline and paroxetine. Fluoxetine,
on the other hand, seems to stay in the bloodstream
for longer and therefore may be found in higher
levels in breast milk. This could cause irritability,
sleep disturbance and poor feeding in some infants.
There haven't, however, been any long-term studies
on infants' exposure to these drugs in breast
milk over time, so it is important to weigh the
potential risks with the risk of leaving your
depression untreated. Talk this through with your
doctor.
Psychotherapy - talking to a psychiatrist or
other doctor on a one-on-one basis over a number
of sessions - can also help ease the symptoms
of postpartum depression. If your symptoms are
mild, this form of treatment may be all you need
to feel better. Some new mothers also find support
groups helpful.
Whether or not you've been diagnosed with postpartum
depression, there are a number of other things
you can do to minimize stress and increase your
enjoyment of being a new mom:
- Get enough sleep: Stress is harder
to deal with when you are sleep-deprived. Try
to nap when your baby does.
- Exercise: If you don't have the time
or energy for a workout, even a walk around
the block with your baby in the stroller will
help.
- Have realistic expectations: No one
is super-mom, so focus instead on being the
best mother you can be. Even if that means leaving
the laundry until tomorrow. And don't be afraid
to ask for help!
- Avoid isolation: Don't be afraid to
rely on your partner, family members or friends
for support. Talk with them and other mothers
about how you are feeling.
- But make some time for yourself: Being
a new mom is a round-the-clock job, so make
sure to work in some "me" time. Schedule
some time when you can leave the baby with a
trusted adult so you can read, exercise or whatever
else you need to do to relax.
Remember, the sooner you get help and take control
of your feelings, the sooner you can start enjoying
your new role as a mom!
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