Recognising and addressing postpartum depression, a once-ignored condition is crucial for both women’s and men’s health. It’s crazy to think that once there was not much awareness about it. But with research and the woman’s voice being heard, it’s refreshing that there are steps in the right direction in treating individuals after childbirth.
Having a baby is a whole life-changing experience. Everything that we have learned to do and have been doing with our lives change and we go from listening to our own needs to tending to the needs of this little human.
It comes as no shock that it can be an overwhelming experience for some people. It is completely normal to not only be scared of the unpredictable road ahead but to also doubt your choices. Feelings of doubt and worry come with most things we do, so you can only imagine how it would feel when you have brought a new life into the world.
We have dedicated ourselves to putting together this article to help women recognise that they might have postpartum depression and that it is completely fine! Giving people the tools to apply to their lives or seek out some professional help is the main aim and goal of this piece so we hope we have educated or helped whoever wants it.
What Is Postpartum Depression?
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a form of depression that happens right after you give birth. While this doesn’t happen to everyone, it is still a common result from childbirth. PPD doesn’t only affect the birthing person; in fact, it can affect adoptive parents, fathers and non-surrogate biological mothers.
This big change can disturb the hormonal, physical, emotional and other aspects of someone’s life after introducing a baby into the picture. These changes can create symptoms of PPD, which could be seen primarily as baby blues.
It’s important that individuals recognise that it’s a common part of life to worry, stress and reconsider your choices and that you are not alone. Understanding that there is a problem and that you are feeling a certain type of way is the first step in the right direction.
What Are The Statistics?
Weirdly, it’s comforting to know that you are not the only woman or person, for that matter, after postpartum who feels this way. It’s been found that as many as 75% of people experience baby blues after delivery and up to 15% of those people’s baby blues manifest into postpartum depression.
It’s an interesting fact that it’s not only women that go through this and in fact, it can affect 1 in 10 men. It’s important to understand that both genders could show different signs and require different treatments.
The Stages Of Postpartum Depression
As mentioned briefly, more often than not, people suffer from the baby blues, and a percentage of that results in PPD, but what happens if they aren’t treated? It can then result in postpartum psychosis. To fully understand what stage you are at and what the signs of each stage postpartum look like, we will be diving right into it.
Baby Blues
The most common form of postpartum is baby blue, which can affect up to 75% of individuals after the delivery or introduction of a new baby into the picture. So what does baby blues mean and look like?
- Prolonged session of crying for no reason.
- Feelings of stress, sadness and anxiety.
- It usually occurs a couple of days after the delivery.
- It should last anything between 1-4 weeks if there has been both recognition and treatment in place.po
A huge part of people pulling through the baby blues is the support, guidance and help from those who are close and dear to them and even, in some cases, the effectiveness of treatments from health care professionals. You are completely within your right to miss what life was like before the delivery. It takes people a while to process the whole lifestyle change.
Postpartum Depression
PPD usually develops after the baby blues and is considered a far more serious condition. Depending on how new PPD is to you, it’s apparent that it’s more common in people who have had it before. So how do people know that their baby blues have progressed into PPD? These are signs to look out for in yourself or your loved ones.
- Extreme highs and lows.
- Feelings of guilt, anxiety, extreme sadness and irritability.
- Fatigue and the inability to care for their baby.
These symptoms can vary from person to person but they can also range from mild to severe. With that being said, no timeline tells people that you will develop PPD, which can occur even up to a year after delivery. Symptoms last for months but without treatment, they could develop into postpartum psychosis.
Postpartum Psychosis
While being extremely rare, affecting only 1 in 1,000 people after delivery, it doesn’t mean that it can’t happen to you or a member of your family. This type of postpartum requires medical attention. So if you know anyone experiencing these symptoms, we recommend you tell a professional immediately.
- Feelings of extreme confusion, shame, hopelessness, paranoia, hyperactivity, rapid speech and agitation.
- Hyperactivity, rapid speech and even mania.
This stage should be taken extremely seriously, as it could harm third parties, whether it’s family members, friends or even the baby.
Treatment for Postpartum Depression
Whether you are in the early stages of baby blues or you are experiencing symptoms of PPD, we have put together some self-help, professional and medical treatment solutions for you to consider or talk to your local GP.
Self Help
Usually, those who are self aware notice when their character has changed and when that happens, the need to self medicate or seek out support will come to mind. Here are a few ways you can help yourself.
- Tall about it: Getting these feelings off your chest could be a huge relief and allows you get support from family, friends or working professionals.
- Delegate: It’s not fair for all responsibilities to be left to one person, so don’t be afraid to ask for help in terms of tasks. It can give you some well needed down time.
- Alone Time: Don’t feel guilty for asking or needing some alone time. Try to go out with friends, put on a little black dress and or simply taking a quiet bathp.
- Exercising: Moving the body can be so good for your mind, body and soul. Allowing yourself to get out some frustrations and get back in tune with yourself.
There are many things that bring some form of normality to your lifestyle and finding ways to incorporate them all starts with recognising and addressing them yourself.
Talking Therapies
These types of external help are usually recommended by doctors and nurses after childbirth, especially for those with PPD.
It could be one to ones where you are talking about issues or obstacles you might be facing. Support groups are another way for you to talk about your feelings but in a more relatable scenario.
There are also alternative therapy types that you could consider, such as cognitive behavioural therapy or interpersonal therapy, which both target unique variations of PPD.
Anti-depressants
I would always recommend that if you don’t think you need antidepressants, hold off and try other types of treatments. However, in cases where you want to try medication, do so in conjunction with self help and therapy measures.
It’s important that you recognise that this type of medication can come with side effects and it shouldn’t be something to rely on. While they can help with improving your mood, there are also practical things that can do that, but it’s each to their own, and it’s definitely a viable option for those that need it.
With the right help and support, you can make this new phase of life more enjoyable.
