Post delivery depression (PDD) is a serious condition that affects new moms after they give birth. It’s a condition that lasts for several weeks to months, and it can seriously impact a mom’s mental and emotional health. Sadly, many new moms don’t discuss PDD with their doctors or even other moms who have experienced the same thing. Why? Maybe they don’t think it exists, or they’re afraid that they’ll be seen as weak. Whatever the reason, it’s important that we start talking about PDD more openly.
Maternity has been termed as a game-changer for women. It is rightly said that the life of a woman changes after she becomes a mother. This is because she now has a new role to play which is a lot difficult and different from other roles she has been playing so far. There are a lot of changes physical and emotional that happens with the woman which she is coping with apart from the responsibility of handling the new born baby.
Post delivery Depression
Post delivery depression or postpartum depression, as it is called, is very common and happens to some degree to every new born mother. Often mothers do not like to discuss these as these are quite sentimental and emotional vows for them.
Often the symptoms are quite contradictory to the motherhood definition we all know. Like, we do not feel like caring for the baby as we feel we are not capable of. Or, we feel emotionally weaker as we are now no longer getting the equal attention from our spouses which we used to enjoy during the earlier times. This is all an emotional stint which mothers need to combat in order to embark on this new route which now means giving time and space to the new born in your hands.
The new mothers won’t often feel like discussing the dismal feeling of not able to give the belonging to the baby they gave birth to. The mood swings and feelings make them too sensitive towards themselves and almost insensitive towards the baby. Given this jeopardy and confusion, women often end up screwing both ends – spouse and baby. The usual problem goes even serious when the spouse do not comfort them or give them the due attention or at least some bit of caressing to give them the confidence that they are still part of their lives.
The bodily changes make them suffer even more as they feel that they are no longer physically attractive and that they are not socially acceptable as a normal human being. While this is totally wrong, it is difficult for anyone to convince them that this change is universal and people are totally aware of these changes which can range from body weight gains to some bit of pigmentation on the face or may be stretch marks on the body.
Some women also have a fearful bout of hurting their baby. They feel they are not capable of handling the baby and might get him hurt. This makes them even more uncomfortable in handling the baby and they might lose their sleep or have easily disturbed levels of sleep leading to more chronic problems. Some women sometimes go ahead to think about deeper problems like committing suicide etc. There is however, only one solution to their problem, it is to boost their self-confidence and giving them their due attention.
There are many self-help suggestions that can help such women which include:
- Joining a group of new mothers- Like you have done here, women should follow suit. Discussions and solutions amongst such women becomes easy this way.
- Don’t keep your feelings to yourself rather share them with your partner, your friends or anyone you are close to. Value your relationships and stay connected to your loved ones even more.
- Once you have got an emotional vent to ease out your feelings, you actually give way to this depression to move out and you are now better able to take care of your little one with love and affection unparalleled to any other feeling in the world.
Mentioned above are the most common signs of post delivery depression. You can also consider consulting a doctor, who can prescribe you the best treatment and help. At times, people may develop symptoms that they don’t associate with post-partum depression (PPD).
It is important to be aware of these symptoms so that you seek help as soon as possible. Leave a comment below if you have been experiencing any of them. In case your loved ones or friends notice any of these symptoms, they should not ignore them but should instead reach out for help immediately
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of depression do you have after having a baby
Many women experience postpartum depression (commonly known as PPD), which is a medical disorder. After giving delivery, there are intense emotions of sadness, anxiety (concern), and exhaustion that persist for a long time. You may find it challenging to care for both you and your infant as a result of these feelings.
Which factors put a patient at risk for postpartum depression?
a prior history of mental health issues, notably depression. a history of pregnancy-related mental health issues. lacking supportive relatives or friends. a challenging partnership with your partner.
What’s the difference between PND and PPD?
Although the terms “perinatal depression” (PND) and “postpartum depression” (PPD) are occasionally used interchangeably, the former describes major or moderate depression that begins during pregnancy or up to 12 months after delivery (5).
