What Is Postpartum Depression?

Finally came the days of happiness, a child was born, the whole family triumphs and rejoices. But there’s something wrong with the young mother. She is tormented with anxiety, depression, eyes in a wet place. What would that mean? There is a postnatal depression – a condition to which women after a birth of the child are exposed. Whether it is necessary to struggle with this problem, how dangerous it is and why it arises, let’s study more in detail.

Some women have to face postpartum depression.

Postpartum Depression: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Disorder of a woman’s psyche begins before the onset of childbirth. In the last days before the resolution of the burden, she can no longer control the processes, panics and is worried about a serious moment in life. And the closer the birth of a baby, the stronger the sensation. As soon as this happens, the picture, which is painted by almost all future mothers about happy minutes of motherhood, is slightly modified. The kid constantly cries, needs attention, he may have colic. There is a lot of trouble: washing, ironing, sleepless nights are simply exhausting, the child needs to swaddle, feed, bathe, change diapers. Thus, a persistent fatigue, a depressed mood is formed, which leads to nervous disorders, which may be followed by postpartum depression, the symptoms of which can be revealed by the “unaided” eye.

Of course, everyone is sure that postpartum depression occurs more often in women. But as it turned out, nervous disorders can affect a strong half of humanity, especially those men who are directly related to the postpartum situation that has arisen. Therefore it is important to know the symptoms and causes of pathology to everyone without exception, who has a long-awaited baby in the house.

What is the expression of postpartum depression?

To this problem, many are frivolous, but in fact it can lead to serious consequences. But this is not a banal spleen or whims that will pass without any intervention in a couple of weeks. To understand exactly what the symptoms of postpartum depression in women are, you need to know the following points:

• excessive anxiety;
• constant tearfulness;
• insomnia;
• loss of appetite;
• Sharp changes in mood.

Despite the problematic nature of these symptoms, the woman continues to fully experience the happiness of motherhood. An important moment in determining the ailment is its duration. A bad mood, spleen pass through 2-3 weeks, while postpartum depression, a protracted, neurological pathology expressed in a complex form. There are times when it can last months, or even years, compounded and expressed in very severe mental forms. You can not think that the young mother is simply trying to attract attention, although in reality the symptoms are very similar. If you miss the signs, the disease can acquire a permanent character, the signs disappear from time to time, transform into more complex forms.

Important: often postpartum depression in women is hiding, the mother shows people around her happy state, while the disease can develop. In these cases, you need to pay more attention to her psychological state, talk with the young mother and help.Img.

Postpartum depression sometimes has a latent form.

Depression after childbirth: symptoms in women

To determine the problem, you need a visit to the doctor. To establish an accurate diagnosis, you need to know how postpartum depression manifests. Therefore, it is important to contact an experienced specialist to clarify the problem and obtain adequate treatment. The diagnosis is made after a visual examination, anamnesis, and, if necessary, the analysis of the tests. As a rule, the following points are observed and revealed during inspection:

• headaches, dizziness;
• cardiopalmus;
• panic attacks;
• anxiety;
• prolonged depression;
• sadness;
• loss of strength;
• a sense of loneliness, no one needs;
• causeless bouts of remorse;
• sense of shame, mental self-flagellation.

When do you need to start taking action?

The problem is often aggravated by the unwillingness of a woman to seek help, refusal to visit a doctor and treatment. Most of the young mothers are sure that the unpleasant sypmtomatics will be solved by itself as soon as the first weeks of motherhood pass. But if the listed signs last more than 2-3 weeks, the process can drag on and lead to complex forms of the disease.

Especially it is necessary to pay attention to when the postpartum depression begins. In the first months after the birth of the child, the condition can be explained by completely natural causes. But if signs of depression appear in three months and up to 9 months of the baby’s life, then it makes sense to sound an alarm. During these periods, a dangerous condition produces such symptoms as:

• depressed mood;
• excessive irritability;
• sense of anxiety;
• panic attacks;
• tantrums;
• a woman’s desire to remain alone all the time;
• refusal to communicate.

Dangerous signs

Symptoms include somatic mental disorders. Women have stable insomnia, it loses weight. It can be accompanied by obsessive fears and panic attacks, the feeling that it can commit an action that would harm the child. This form can develop into a manic-depressive syndrome.

A woman in postpartum depression may suffer from panic attacks.

Depression after childbirth: causes

According to the medical statistics of American researchers, nervousness after the birth of a child accompanies up to 15 percent of young mothers. Every second woman suffers from pathology in a complex form. Unfortunately, the trend is deteriorating, more and more often mothers become ill with this ailment, especially in Western countries. Despite the fact that the basis of a mass of provocative factors is presented clearly, there are still issues that have not yet been answered unequivocally. The cause of the disorder can be:

1. Hormonal changes. Immediately after the conception of the baby, serious changes take place in the mother’s body, he works for two. After all, it is not a secret for anyone that a woman often cries, is sad, nervous, capricious, this is perestroika. With the appearance of the baby everything comes back to normal, which also leads to emotional disorders: frustration, a feeling of emptiness, unpreparedness for the changes that have come.

2. Hereditary index. This implies taking over the behavior of the parents, who also found themselves in a stressful situation.

3. Violation of the thyroid gland. After the birth of a child, the production of hormones by the thyroid gland falls, which is expressed in rapid fatigue, a sense of loss, moral and physical exhaustion.

4. Metabolic disorders, pressure changes.

5. Lactation. Regular expression of milk, cracks around the nipples, pain due to stagnation in the mammary gland causes unpleasant sensations and feelings of resentment.

6. Features of the nature of the mother. If a woman already had an eccentric, capricious, selfish temper, then after birth, each trait manifests itself in a more pronounced form.

7. Changes in the shape. Physiological changes in the waist, chest, hips for a woman striving for perfection, can cause a real panic, hysterics.

8. Financial difficulties. Often there are situations in which the young mother feels the inability to provide everything necessary for the child, even more scare her future costs as the baby grows up.

9. Changes in sexual life. Most often, women after liberation lose their libido, they refuse to have sexual intercourse with their spouse.

10. Other reasons – the cold attitude of close ones, in particular the spouse, lack of support, conflicts, violence, reception of alcoholic beverages can also lead to nervous disorders.

When does postpartum depression occur?

Not always the problem is due to physical difficulties. Often, it suffers from very wealthy and successful ladies. Another proof of the inconsistency of the theory of physical overwork is the increase in the number of suffering women compared to past centuries. Now you can use the washing machine, pampers, mixes, and the trend still does not change. In addition, the quality patronage of a young mother and her child is guaranteed, a number of spheres, excellent clinics have been created, in which a lot of necessary services are provided.

But do not assume that the problem is only modern. During the reign of Queen Victoria, after the birth of the baby mummy with “weirdness” was sent to a psychiatric clinic with the diagnosis of “postnatal madness”. But for the sake of justice it is worth noting that in those days the disease was a rare occurrence.

Importantly: postpartum depression, the causes of which have so far been fully revealed, creates an internal struggle, the woman’s psyche is seriously tested. Despite the fast pace of life and the creation of comfortable conditions for caring for the baby, she needs a banal human sympathy, warmth and understanding.

Manifestation of postpartum depression in men

The reasons for the development of this type of pathology are similar to those of women, but nevertheless there are specific factors that cause nerve disorders in young fathers.

1. First of all, the problem is caused by changes in family life. A man feels himself not needed by his beloved wife because of her full grasp of cares for the child.

2. Financial issue. With the advent of the baby, the cost of the family budget increases dramatically. For this reason, the Pope has to work harder, look for additional ways to earn money.

3. Sexual relations. The first months of life of the baby are associated with constant care, and, not only in the daytime, but also at night. It is clear that a tired mother is not able to give the same amount of attention to the spouse as before the delivery. On this basis, most conflicts arise.

The majority of young dads cope with the problem 2-3 months after the appearance of their beloved child. They are able to adapt to the situation, and visiting the work, communicating with friends is making a positive contribution. A man can get distracted, briefly forget about home problems and rest his emotions.

Men are also prone to postpartum depression.

What to do to prevent depression after childbirth?

Given the fact that the mental disorders of a young mother can lead to disastrous consequences, you need to take care of your health in advance. Otherwise, there is a risk of disappointment, not only in the happiness of motherhood, but also in life, without knowing its charm.

1. To prevent the development of a depressive state. To begin with, you need to clarify with your parents if they were accompanied by such a problem after your birth. If the answer is positive – see a doctor for the appropriate treatment. An experienced specialist will study all the factors that contribute to the development of mood-suppressing moods, and take a therapy that eliminates risks.

2. Prepare for motherhood in advance, get the things you need, so that you do not get frustrated because of a lack of this or that thing.

3. It is not superfluous to warn about the necessary help from relatives and friends. Let them also prepare for a happy event with the resulting positive consequences, which include: walking, buying food, washing, ironing baby clothes, bathing an infant, buying things, etc.

How to treat postpartum depression?

The problem requires qualitative treatment, since dangerous consequences are possible. Both a mother and a newborn can suffer. A young mother can simply refuse to take care of her own child or perform her duties poorly. But the main point in the first days of the baby’s life is to establish contact with the mother, as they say “skin to the skin.” He must feel her warmth, care, recognize by smell, which ensures his peace, and hence, normal psychological, physiological development.

Important: with improper care, the baby develops mental problems, inflammatory processes that in the future can be transformed into serious pathologies.

For the qualitative treatment of the disease, examination and examination of the analysis for determining the hormonal background are required. Therapy depends on the depth of the problem. As a treatment prescribed sedative, sedatives, antidepressants, funds with the inclusion of serotonin. Also, attention is paid to the balancing of hormones in the body, for which drugs are prescribed with minimal side effects. Breastfeeding mothers are prescribed medications without contraindications based on natural ingredients.

Additionally, if necessary, the doctor can prescribe a psychotherapy that tunes the thinking of the young mother to a positive “motive”.

Because of depression after childbirth, moms can improperly care for the baby.

How to deal with the symptoms of postpartum depression at home?

An important factor in influencing the mood of a newly mummy is the stability and harmony in the family. Having noticed the first signs of postpartum depression, treatment should be combined with methods available at home.

1. Support of loved ones. Often excessive emotionality or capriciousness of a woman is perceived with irritation, negativity and this is a big mistake. Both a young mother and her baby need care, sympathy, moral and physical assistance.

2. Do not indoctrinate a woman that she has become “unstuck”, “you have to pull yourself together”, etc. Only comforting, warm words, understanding the situation will help to feel your participation. But not only words, but elementary help in the household will allow a woman to rest 1-2 hours and restore strength.

What should a young mother do?

It is equally important to know the mother about how to deal with postpartum depression.

1. First, visit a doctor. Do not delay the problem until the development of serious mental disorders.

2. Be sure to share your feelings with a loved one, because, not everyone can understand what exactly are your mood swings, tearfulness, fatigue.

3. To agree with the spouse about allocation for you of the day off. Choose a day a week, go to a cafe, a swimming pool, stroll through the park. The main thing is to change the situation and devote a few hours to your beloved.

4. Sexual contact. It is clear that in the first 4-5 weeks about sexual life after childbirth is out of the question. It takes time to heal wounds, restore strength. But as soon as a certain period has passed, do not deny yourself the pleasure. It is sex that will help to get out of depression, as the body will again begin to receive the necessary hormones and elements that raise the mood, strengthen immunity, etc.

5. Purchase a radio nurse. Constant experiences of what’s happening to the child while you are in the kitchen or in the bathroom can lead to a breakdown. And thanks to an inexpensive and convenient attribute, you do not have to run every 2 minutes to the baby’s bedroom and make sure that everything is in order.

6. Do not spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Now it is possible to purchase semi-finished products, and if possible, order dishes from cafes and restaurants. Bring to work a spouse or loved ones, a young mother should often rest.

7. At every opportunity, go to bed. The cause of generic depression can be a banal nonsense – a mandatory moment after the birth of a child.

8. Walk more often in open, open air. Postpartum depression, according to young moms, goes, if you walk with a stroller every day. Meeting with “colleagues” fortunately, greens, the movement will make a positive and add courage.

For stable mental health, a young mother will need the support of a young father.

Go out for a walk with the whole family, let the young father take care of the baby. An idyllic picture will show that everything is in order in your life, the main thing is not to give in to despondency and create a positive mood for yourself and your loved ones. If you follow simple rules and follow the recommendations of a doctor, the problem with the psychological state will be solved, which will allow you to fully experience the happiness of motherhood.