by Nicky Pilkington
The joy of bringing a child into the world, a baby to love
and cherish, may be the plan but to 50-80% of new mothers suffering from a form
of depression known as the Baby Blues that dream is not the
reality.
While not serious, the baby blues can leave a new mother
despondent, tired, and subject to emotional swings and loss of appetite. The
effects of giving birth, hormone changes and the lifestyle changes of having a
newborn (not sleeping, being indoors a lot, responsibilities of caring for a
baby) can lead to a bout of the baby blues. Baby blues are usually short lived
and go away without treatment.
What is of more concern are the less
frequent cases where baby blues develop into something longer lived and more
severe: postpartum depression.
While Brooke Shields (along with the help
of Oprah Winfrey) has put a famous face on this dreadful disorder, thousands of
women who face the pain and anxiety of postpartum depression fight a private
battle of wills between their knowledge of what motherhood should be and their
detached feelings, hopelessness and even suicide.
What causes postpartum
(also known as postnatal) depression and what are the signs?
No precise
cause has been found that causes a happy, healthy woman to loose her sense of
self, desire and joy for life when she should be enjoying the experience of
motherhood.
While many women suffer side effects from the temporary drain
of estrogen hormones soon after birth the effect of this estrogen loss may go
even further in women diagnosed with postpartum depression.
Other
factors, such as financial stress, relationship and communication problems or a
history of depression in the family may contribute to postpartum
depression.
Identifying postpartum depression is crucial since it IS
treatable. Often it will become the responsibility of the partner or other
friends and family to watch new mothers for signs of depression. Postpartum
depression can occur anytime after birth - even up to a year after.
The
National Women's Health Information center lists these signs to watch for in
mothers who may be suffering more than the baby blues:
Feeling restless
or irritable
Feeling sad, hopeless, and overwhelmed
Crying a
lot
Having no energy or motivation
Eating too little or too
much
Sleeping too little or too much
Trouble focusing,
remembering, or making decisions
Feeling worthless and guilty
Loss
of interest or pleasure in activities
Withdrawal from friends and
family
Having headaches, chest pains, heart palpitations (the heart
beating fast and feeling like it is skipping beats), or hyperventilation (fast
and shallow breathing)
After pregnancy, signs of depression may also
include being afraid of hurting the baby or oneself and not having any interest
in the baby.
It is very important for mothers to have a strong support
system in place since the demands of caring for an infant, especially when other
children are present, can lead to stress and burnout. All most mothers need is
loving care and someone to talk to. For those suffering with depression, it is
even more crucial.
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