Everyone thought that Brooke shields must be basking in the glory of motherhood and singing lullabies in her mesmerizing voice for her new born kid. But all was not well for her. She was often seen staring out of the widow of her house with a blank look on her face. She suffered from postpartum blues and it was so severe that she felt that she did not want to live anymore. She could not come to terms with the challenges of motherhood. This was the most troublesome period of her life. For the first time in her life, she battled the emotional turmoil with feelings of helplessness and despair. She was very sad and withdrew from her family, which was very strange considering her nature. She suffered from thoughts of suicide and feelings of failure. Many women go through this phase after delivering their baby. They find it hard to accept the new role of motherhood, which brings a lot of challenges and responsibilities along with it. To-be-mothers and their relatives need to understand the postpartum depression symptoms, treatment and medicines in order to prevent severe complications.

Causes and risk factors of postpartum depression

• Hormonal changes in the body during and after pregnancy are the main culprits behind postpartum depression. After the delivery, there is a reduction in the production of estrogen and progesterone in the body. This causes intense fatigue and depression in the female. There is also a drop in blood pressure and metabolic rate after the delivery that can lead to postpartum depression.
• Apart from this, the woman has to cope with the pain of delivery that thoroughly exhausts her. There are also worries about losing the excess weight gained during pregnancy, loss of physical attractiveness and changes in lifestyle. The last one is more difficult for first time mothers. They find it hard to adjust their routine with that of the new born baby. The baby takes time to develop its own biological clock. But it is very taxing for new mothers to adjust to the round-the-clock needs of the baby.

• Some new mothers are too anxious and worried. They are not sure about their capability to take care of the baby in a proper way and tend to be on their toes all the time with the fear that the baby may need them anytime. This takes a toll on their physical and psychological heath and these females slowly slip into postpartum depression.

Signs and symptoms of postpartum depression

• Mood Swings
• Sadness
• Insomnia
• Irritability
• Crying jags
• Anxiety over the slightest matter
• Lack of interest or negative feelings for the baby
• Tension about not taking proper care of the baby
• Lack of motivation and energy
• Feeling of guilt or worthlessness
• Loss of pleasure
• Lack of self concern
• Suicidal thoughts

If these symptoms are found in a mother within 6 – 8 months of delivering the baby, a diagnosis of postpartum depression can be made. A timely diagnosis and treatment of the mother can bring her and the baby lot of happiness and she can thoroughly enjoy her motherhood.

 

She can be treated with various forms of therapy like hormonal preparations, psychotherapy, marriage counseling, antidepressants medicines and family education. Counseling of the female during pregnancy can prevent the occurrence postpartum depression later on. Couples are advised to seek the help of a psychologist during pregnancy itself to understand the causes and symptoms of postpartum depression. This helps the mother to prepare herself mentally for the new challenges and she can welcome the baby with open arms.