Sometimes moms try to deal with postpartum depression on their own, or wish that ignoring it’ll make the feelings go away. But you need some guidelines about postpartum depression treatment.
After giving birth, many women experience a week or two of “baby blues,” marked by mood swings, feelings of ambivalence toward motherhood, mild depression, and bouts of unexplainable crying. These blues may be because of hormonal changes; of the way labor, delivery, and motherhood are treated in today’s civilization; or of the isolation new mothers often feel. Undoubtedly lack of sleep plays a role, too.
But in some women as many as 10 to 13 percent of new mothers, as per sources the baby blues turns into clinical postpartum depression or PPD. In an even smaller number of women, this can become a major psychological disturbance, called postpartum psychosis.
There are two forms of postpartum depression symptoms. The first form is postpartum or maternity blues, which is a mild mood condition that lasts for a short time. A more severe form, called postpartum major depression, is a severe, potentially life-threatening situation.
How you will recognize Postpartum Blues?
The postpartum depression symptoms that usually occur within 3 or 4 days of giving birth. Family members or new mothers may distinguish the symptoms, including mood swings, tearfulness, irritability, anxiousness, and sleeping difficulties, among others. These postpartum depression symptoms affect 40 to 75 percent of new mothers, so it’s important to monitor a new mother’s condition. If she shows signs and symptoms of postpartum depression for longer than two weeks, seek medical attention. One in five women with this condition develops postpartum major depression.
Also Read: 4 Simple Ways To Avoid Unwanted Pregnancy
How to know if you are at risk:
You might be at risk for postpartum depression if you’ve had a similar episode before in your life. If you suffered from postpartum depression with the birth of your 1st baby, for example, it is more likely that you will suffer from postpartum depression symptoms again after the birth of your 2nd baby. If a mom has ever been depressed, her risk of developing postpartum depression enhances from approximately 14 percent (women with no history of depression) to 23 percent. Women who suffer from manic-depressive illness or from bipolar disorder also may need to be more careful after giving birth.
These women have a very increased risk of suffering from postpartum major depression. Other factors might indicate a risk for postpartum depression symptoms. Some of these include depression in the duration of pregnancy, significant premenstrual symptoms prior to pregnancy, and relatives with bipolar disorder or mental depression. Stressful situations can also put a woman at an enhanced risk of developing postpartum major depression after she gives birth to her child.
These women have a very increased risk of suffering from postpartum major depression. Other factors might indicate a risk for postpartum depression symptoms. Some of these include depression in the duration of pregnancy, significant premenstrual symptoms prior to pregnancy, and relatives with bipolar disorder or mental depression. Stressful situations can also put a woman at an enhanced risk of developing postpartum major depression after she gives birth to her child.
Postpartum depression treatment:
Postpartum depression treatment depends on the severity of the patient’s postpartum depression symptoms. If the patient has the postpartum blues, these will only last for about two weeks. After this time, the depression will most likely resolve on its own. When the depression becomes deeper and persists, the mother needs a different postpartum depression treatment.
Some types of treatment include antidepressant medications and psychotherapy. Psychotherapy generally involves counseling sessions. Antidepressants come in different forms, and there has been no evidence of these medications causing harm for nursing infants. If the depression is severe, medical professionals may urge a new mother to take medications to help treat the chemical imbalance in her brain.
If a woman has become severely depressed and is having thoughts of suicide or psychotic thoughts, a doctor may want to keep her hospitalized to ensure her and her baby’s health and safety. Another rare type of treatment is electroconvulsive therapy, which physician sometimes use when mothers don’t want to take the therapeutic drugs or medications.
Also Read: Factors that affect women’s mental health
Antidepressant medications come in different chemical forms that have different types of side-effects. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, are normally recommended for breast-feeding mothers. Some of these include:
- Citalopram
- Fluoxetine
- Paroxetine
- Sertraline
Breast-feeding mothers can also use an older type of treatment that uses tricyclic antidepressants. Some of these include:
- Imipramine
- Nortriptyline
For very severe depression with psychotic symptoms such as delusions or hallucinations, an antidepressant may be combined with an antipsychotic like Risperdal, Haldol, or Zyprexa.
Conclusion:
The majority of women experience at least some symptoms of the baby blues immediately after childbirth. It is a feeling precipitated by the sudden change in hormones after delivery, stress, isolation, sleep deprivation, and fatigue. You might feel more tearful, overwhelmed, and emotionally fragile.
Generally, this will start within the 1st couple of days after baby’s birth, peak around 1 week, and taper off by the end of the 2nd week postpartum. Just stay calm during delivery, for best postpartum depression treatment just fall in love with your new born baby.
