POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION OR BABY BLUE / SYMPTOMS / CAUSES AND TREATMENT

 

POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION OR BABY BLUE / SYMPTOMS / CAUSES AND TREATMENT 

 

 

When you experience a depressive episode, or major depressive disorder, after having a baby. There are two types of things that occur,  

Baby Blue 

Postpartum Depression 

So, what is the difference between baby blues and Postpartum Depression? 

The baby blues are usually short-lived. They happen right after having a baby. And within a couple of weeks, like two weeks or so, they go away. They're transient. So, it will be like you kind of have a downer, and then you come out of it. And you are okay. But if this depression, like this depressive episode, or this depression feeling, Lasts for more than two weeks. That's when we would say that it's Postpartum Depression. It's something that you should seek help with. 

In many cases most people report fatigue. Also, severe mood swings. And a lot of these are characterized as having severe fatigue. Where it's hard to get up. It's hard to shower. It's hard to take care of your baby. You'll have difficulty bonding with your baby. Withdrawal from your family and friends. And even thoughts of harming yourself or your new baby. 

And there is a caveat off the side of this. That there is something also called Postpartum Psychosis. So, if you find yourself imagining, like seeing things that you never saw before, Hearing things you never heard before, please see your doctor. Take yourself to the hospital immediately. That's a very serious condition. And something that can be treated and taken care of. 

In the case, your Fatigue and mood swings continue after two weeks or get worse or if it's making it difficult for you to care for your child, is also the time you should be seeking help.  

One of the main reasons for Postpartum depression is the changes in Hormones. Estrogen and Progesterone go down right after we have a baby. Hormones can affect our mood. That's why some women really struggle with different birth controls. Also, there are changes in our blood volume. Our blood pressure. And this is what leads to those extreme feelings of fatigue. Like it's so hard to get out of bed. It's so hard to do anything. You can't even imagine taking care of a child. 

The fact that part of having a new baby is being tired, you are getting up in the middle of the night. And you are feeding all of the time. And it can just be exhausting as a whole. But this is extreme fatigue. Where doing anything, like taking care of yourself own self becomes hard. 

Also, there are emotional factors. Having a baby can bring up a lot of feelings. Even being pregnant. Where there is all of that excitement. But there is also that anxiety. You sometimes overthink about what kind of a mother am I going to be.  

What kind of a parent do I plan to be? 

How am I going to do things differently? 

All of that. So, all of those changes can be overwhelming.  

Also, the financial issue can be another reason. Having a child can make a financial situation that was bad, worse. And that puts a lot of pressure on both parents to pull their weight.  

And if you just had the baby, You're at home. Also, get support from your partner. Make sure that you're sharing in the care-taking of the child. And all of the work that's involved in that. And also, if you have another child, it can be hard for you to manage both. And trying to get your toddler to sit still while you do things with the baby. And while you bathe the baby. It's a lot more to manage. And it can be really overwhelming. 

Many people who struggle with this, Feel like they're horrible people. 'I'm a horrible mother. I can't even believe I had a child. This is so terrible.' 

This is not as bad as it feels. Depression as a whole can just feel like this huge dark cloud, that just is suffocating. It feels like we can't get out. And there is nothing we can do. And every day just seems longer and harder. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. 

If you get treatment quickly for Postpartum Depression, It will not last. And the things that are recommended, Like 

Counseling. 

Hidey-ho. 

You can process all those things you're feeling. All of the experiences that you're having with your child. Maybe feelings of overwhelm, or financial issues. You can have someone to talk about it. And you can process through any of those feelings that you're having. 

Many people who had depression in their past, May be more susceptible to Postpartum Depression. Therefore, hopefully, you have a therapist or psychiatrist that you have already been seeing. But if you haven't, now is the time to reach out. And start talking about it. 

The last thing that is recommended is hormone therapy. Because, as mentioned above, Estrogen and Progesterone are going down. And you have a lot of different things that are going on in our body hormonally. 

And if you take the right hormones, you can come back out of it. And be okay. Also, there are many support groups available almost in every hospital, talk to your doctor. Your OBGYN. Your lactation consultant. Anybody in that area will know of one in your area. Usually, they are even free. It's something that the hospitals put on. So, reach out. Get the support. Know that you are not alone. And this is something that you can overcome. 

The world is not coming to an end. You are not a horrible mother. You are just struggling with a severe drop in hormones. And an extreme change in your lifestyle. But together, we will get through it.