Postpartum depression is also referred to as post natal depression. This is a kind of clinical depression that affects women and in some cases men after a child is born to them. There are 5 to 25% chances that a mother would suffer a post partum depression. Postpartum depression strikes a woman after she has carried a child especially during the first few months. It is a severe form of depression and if it is left unattended, it might grow into a real bother. Sadness, fatigue, insomnia, changes in appetite, reduction in libido, mood swings, anxiety and irritability are common symptoms. Studies suggest that even though 5 to 9% women experience postpartum depression only 3 to 4% seek professional help. Many people misunderstand that postpartum depression is caused by a lack of vitamins but actually it is the hormonal changes experienced by a woman during her pregnancy that needs to be blamed for postpartum depression. While hormonal treatments severely fail to help a mother to recover from postpartum depression there are women who get over this depression with the help of counseling and through group effort.
Baby blues or maternity blues are a mild and temporary form of mood changes that most post natal women experience. Symptoms of baby blues or maternity blues last only from a few hours till up to a few days. These symptoms would include irritability, hypochondriasis, tearfulness, insomnia, attention problems, need to be isolated and headaches. This should not be confused with postpartum depression. These two are strictly different kinds of physical state and one does not lead to the other nor is one associated with the other in any way.
The symptoms of postpartum depression include the following but are not limited to these alone. So in case you need to consult a doctor, feel free to do so. The common symptoms of postpartum depression are sadness, low self esteem, hopelessness, guilt, feeling of being overwhelmed, guilt, changes in sleeping and eating patterns, need to be comforted, exhaustion, emptiness, want to be a social recluse, lack of energy, frustration, feeling impaired to take care of the baby, short temper, panic attacks, reduced sex drive etc.
Postpartum depression can be prevented if it is identified dearly and intervened well. Preemptive treatments have shown some success. What is best is that the doctor should screen a woman and tell her the chances of her suffering postpartum depression so she is mentally prepared and can handle the sudden changes better. Community programs and group sessions where you get the chance to speak your mind and discuss the changes you are going through help to instill some confidence in you and reassure you that you will make a great mom, even if it is your first child. Try to get the kind of help that you think best fits you. And all should be fine!
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