30 Aug Postpartum Depression: PPD Symptoms, Prevention Tips & Treatment
A child is a blessing for every parent. However, sometimes the after-episode of having a baby is not too pleasant. Postpartum depression is one such situation in which either of the parents can enter an unprecedented phase of gloominess. Knowing how to prevent postpartum depression can be a real help in managing the condition and getting better each day.
Although common in mothers, cases of postpartum depression has been observed in fathers as well. The primary reason is the sudden changes in the ongoing life and the adjustment to a new one.
However, knowing how to prevent PPD can offer help for your mental health. This is to reduce the risk of postnatal depression symptoms and help you rejoice in parenthood to the fullest.
My motive behind creating this informative blog was to help you out with this new phase of your life.
How to Prevent Postpartum Depression?
Various dietary and physical changes along with support can hamper the symptoms. The key is to effectively employ them.
#1: Dietary Changes
Healthy nutrition and protein supply enhance brain functions. It also increases the secretion of the feel-good hormone, serotonin.
Thus, switch to a balanced diet with sufficient protein for better wellbeing.
Some studies indicate a relationship between anxiety and dehydration. Whether pregnant or breastfeeding mom, the risk of issues related to dehydration is common. So, drinking sufficient water is necessary.
#2: Rest
The experience of having a newborn baby can flip your life upside down. Specifically, it affects the quality and quantity of time moms get for themselves.
In some cases, it can lead to sleep deprivation and severe problems.
According to a few studies, the quality of sleep post-pregnancy is a high indicator of postpartum symptoms. Indeed, having sufficient rest is compulsory.
#3: Exercise
Moms performing mild to moderate exercises daily are less likely to suffer bouts of depression or anxiety.
Obviously, you don’t require a regular gyming routine or running time or a specific fitness class.
Having mobility indoors can stimulate the secretion of endorphins and drop stress hormones like Cortisol.
#4: Support
Inadequate social support is the primary instigator in causing depression or anxiety. Spending time in the community helps to build validation, emotional, and logistical support.
In other words, you should have some social time. You can spend time with friends or colleagues. Or you can get therapy from a specialist. They can help you participate in a support group.
Sharing experiences may lower the mental burden. In fact, this is by far one of the best tips on how to prevent postpartum depression naturally as prescribed by a psychiatrist.
#5: Understanding and Awareness
The risk of postpartum depression increases due to misinformation and lack of understanding.
Having the knowledge of how the brain works and triggers points, the recovery can switch to a fast track mode.
Thus, to know how to prevent postpartum depression and anxiety, you should begin by getting aware and understanding little details and coping mechanisms.
Most importantly, don’t forget to set realistic and achievable goals.
#6: Stress Reduction
Becoming a mom and taking care of a baby brings about abrupt changes causing untimed stress and anxiety.
However, there is no other way. You need to also understand having bouts of gloominess, irritability, and anxiety is normal.
What’s crucial at this moment is to manage emotions the right way and not indulge in wrong self-soothing strategies.
Try These Stress-Reducing Strategies:
1. Breath: Stress can break our normal breathing momentum resulting in less oxygen flow to the brain pausing the normal functions. Indeed, taking a long breath counters the issue and improves brain fog. In fact, it even improves your physiological response to stress.
2. Deep relaxation strategies: For a moment, stress and anxiety make us forget how relaxation feels like. Thus, performing a few activities can help.
- Visualization: Imagine a place providing you a total sense of relaxation.
- Grounding exercises: Performing grounding exercises like belly breaths and meditation can reduce stress.
Stress reduction by various means can cut down the initial baggage turning into postnatal depression afterward.
These are a few helpful ways to reduce or even prevent mental conditions. Though effective, benefits may vary from person to person.
Indeed, an expert will have specialization in how to treat postpartum depression. They can provide better assistance for fighting mental health issues.
But, firstly, you need to identify your PPD symptoms if you’re not well aware already.
How to Know You Have Postpartum Depression: Most Common Symptoms
New couples planning to become parents have specific concerns for postpartum depression.
In fact, it is the key topic among mental health groups. Does everyone get postpartum depression? Or it hits some people only.
The bout of depression post-pregnancy can hit any woman.
Although at a surface level, it may seem similar, different moms have different experiences with mental health conditions.
Understanding different symptoms of postpartum depression can help in early diagnosis:
- Often getting sad or down.
- Continuous crying or tearfulness.
- Loss of interest or pleasure in life.
- Getting irritable, restless, or anxious often.
- Considering yourself worthless, hopeless, or guilty.
- Lack of energy and motivation to complete normal tasks.
- Problem sleeping, difficulty falling asleep, inability to stay asleep, or sleeping more than usual.
- Appetite loss.
- Inexplicable weight loss or gain.
- Feeling your life is not worth living.
- Not having affection for your baby.
- Showing little interest in your baby.
Many new moms get depressed right after childbirth. However, some don’t show any symptoms until several weeks and months.
Usually, depression occurring within 6 months after childbirth is referred to as postpartum depression.
However, in a rare situation, a woman may show postpartum psychosis symptoms.
This rare mental condition involves the symptoms of postnatal depression as well as a tendency to harm oneself or the baby.
Some people are more likely to get PPD. Thus, if you have some of the risk factors of PPD, get yourself prepared for the condition.
Risk Factors of PPD (Postpartum Depression)
Knowing how to reduce the risk of postpartum depression offers helpful tools to fight off the mental condition even before it takes control of your life.
In fact, some people have a greater risk of developing postpartum depression symptoms.
If you experience PPD, there isn’t anything you did wrong. Psychiatrists believe in the underlying risk factors triggering the mental health issue.
You have a higher risk of developing postpartum depression symptoms in the following situations:
- A history of depression before or during pregnancy
- Your age during pregnancy (the younger you are, the greater the risk)
- Family history of mood disorders
- Ambivalence about the pregnancy
- Experiencing exceptionally stressful events, like a health crisis or job loss
- If you have a history of depression or Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)
- Having triplets or twins
- Having a child with special needs or health issues
- Children (the more children, the greater the chances of depression later in the pregnancy period)
- Living alone
- Marital conflicts
- Limited social support
There’s often a single reason behind the development of postpartum symptoms. Still, some of these emotional or physical issues may contribute to the condition:
- Hormones: A dramatic drop in progesterone and estrogen post-delivery may play a key role. Moreover, other hormones secreted by the thyroid gland may drop abruptly resulting in exhaustion, sluggishness, and depression.
- Inadequate Sleep: Sleep deprivation may cause difficulty in managing even the slightest issues.
- Anxiety: New moms are anxious about their own capabilities of handling a newborn. This emerges as a key trigger.
- Self-image: You may find yourself less attractive and may even struggle with the loss of identity. In fact, it may seem like you’ve lost control over your life.
Any of the factors can trigger the condition.
Postpartum depression doesn’t hit everyone, though. Certain groups of people have a higher risk.
If you have any of the above-mentioned conditions, you are in the high-risk category. And you need to give yourself additional care to fight it off.
Though the mental health condition is prominently observed in moms, fathers may also have somewhat similar experiences.
Postpartum Depression in New Fathers
It may sound odd, but postpartum depression among dads is common. Various research and studies have investigated these mental health conditions.
According to a report by the Journal of the American Medical Association, 10% of men globally had depression symptoms from the first trimester of their wife’s pregnancy through the six months of childbirth.
The numbers jumped to 26% during the three to six months period after the baby’s birth.
This is twice the depression cases usually existing in men. Regardless, a huge number of expecting and new dads are having mental health issues. This does create a huge public health concern.
However, the symptoms of male postpartum depression vary from females. Also, the experience and trigger points are relatively distinct.
Common male postpartum depression symptoms include:
- Feelings of worthlessness.
- Irritability, sadness, anger, and/or agitation.
- Loss of interest in sex or activities that used to bring them joy.
- Involvement in risky behaviors like gambling, drugs, alcohol abuse, adultery, or extramarital affairs.
- Heart palpitations.
- Shortness of breath.
Having proper sleep and therapy sessions can alleviate the condition. Similar to females, the experience with male postpartum depression will vary from man to man.
Postpartum depression challenges you with hard times. Nonetheless, knowing how to avoid postpartum depression or deal with it can help resolve the problem.
How to Deal with Postpartum Depression?
Depression can make you suffer until you get a hold of it. Indeed, taking some measures slowly and realistically can help you deal with the condition effectively.
In this section, I’ve shared useful tips to fight off the mental health issue like a pro.
#1. Therapy
Therapists and psychiatrists deliver the best treatment for your condition. Currently, they offer their service online as well. You can receive care at home in comfort and safety.
Talking about your issues, emotions, and feelings with your family and friends isn’t always possible.
Therapy offers a passage to discuss the things you skip. In fact, it helps you work through your difficulties, learn ways to cope, and even help search for a way to be yourself again.
#2. Connect Socially
Connecting with your friends and family can help relieve stress. Either you can meet up in restaurants or go on a tour.
Also, you can take the help of social media apps to video chat with family and friends.
Phone calls are good, but video chat strengthens your connection with others. This is possible even when you are taking care of your newborn.
Moreover, online groups connect with other mothers dealing with similar conditions. This can provide additional strength and offer a clearer outlook.
#3. Medications
Generally, doctors prescribe antidepressants to deal with PPD or PPA (Postpartum Anxiety) along with other treatments.
This can take a couple of weeks to provide effective results. Indeed, these medications are safe while breastfeeding too.
Still, you need to be attentive. Keep your dosages limited as per the recommendation of the specialists.
#4. Lifestyle Changes
During pregnancy, you have to change your lifestyle. Now, as a mom, you have to consider different aspects of your lifestyle. This can help deal with depression and anxiety effectively.
- Healthy lifestyle choices – Not only do you need to take care of your diet but also your physical wellbeing. Cling to a balanced and nutritious diet. Having little physical movement is also necessary. In fact, a workout stimulates the secretion of endorphins which fight off stress and improves your mood.
- Make realistic expectations – When you are recovering from the condition, you have to do so while shouldering the responsibilities of being a new mother. Pressurizing yourself is bad. Be realistic and have goals fitting your schedule.
- Self-care is important – Don’t forget to take care of yourself while caring for your child. Do something to pamper yourself. Watch a movie. Buy your favorite food. Or go shopping.
- Meditate – Meditation can reduce your stress levels. This can benefit the condition of both PPD and PPA.
So, these are a few things you can do to deal with postnatal depression. Friends and family can help with some sweet gestures. For instance, getting groceries, buying diapers, or meals.
The guide on how to prevent postpartum depression after birth ends here. Now, before leaving, have a look at these common questions related to the mental health issue.
FAQs
People are less aware of mental health issues like PPD. In fact, there are many doubts prevalent about the condition. In this section, I’ve tried to answer a few related queries.
Q1: When does PPD start?
It depends on the patient. Generally, the postpartum period differs from the 4–6 weeks after birth. The condition can develop early during pregnancy as well.
It can even last for a whole year post-childbirth. If you are still feeling down after the typical postpartum period, don’t ignore it. Take necessary help.
Q2: Does breastfeeding prevent PPD?
According to a study, breastfeeding women showed a lower risk of developing PPD. The study was continued for over the first 4 months postpartum.
In contrast, postpartum depression can reduce the rate of breastfeeding. In other words, the study suggested a reciprocal relationship between the two.
Q3: How long do postpartum hormones last?
Typically, the postpartum period lasts post 6 months of childbirth to get everything on track. Individual experience may vary.
Some women may experience an ongoing gloominess even after 1 year of the postpartum period.
Q4: How long does anxiety last after having a baby?
It isn’t something like baby blues lasting for two weeks. Postpartum anxiety may last for almost 6 months or more or less.
Indeed, the experiences vary from females to females. If left untreated, the mental health condition can have its effects for a longer period of time.
Q5: How do you control postpartum hormones?
Post childbirth, your hormone level is imbalanced and gets adjusted according to the motherly requirement of the body. A few things can help you deal with the changes:
- Have a high-quality prenatal
- Heal your gut
- Balance your blood sugar
Q6: Can breastfeeding hormones cause anxiety?
Breastfeeding causes dopamine or pleasure hormone levels to decrease to increase prolactin or the milk-producing hormone level.
For some moms, dopamine drop is excessive causing symptoms of anxiety, self-loathing, and even anger.
Hopefully, this detailed insight on the mental health condition helped you. Lastly, here’s an overview of postpartum depression.
Final Thoughts
Postpartum depression is a common mental health condition triggered in new moms and even fathers sometimes.
The sense of loss of previous lifestyle and adjustment to the new mommy role doesn’t get easy for some.
Getting early help with therapy, medications, and support groups help fight it off over time. However, leaving this mental health issue untreated for a longer period can aggravate the condition.
Have more questions? Drop your queries and opinions down in the comments section or get in touch with the author at marcus@horizonclinics.org.
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