Postpartum Depression: Navigating the Emotions After Childbirth

Postpartum depression (PPD) is one mental condition that happens to new mothers after childbirth. On average, one out of 7 mothers experience postpartum depression after giving childbirth.

Most of the time (PPD) is often confused with the baby blues. But they are two different conditions. Baby blue is when women experience feelings of sadness, stress, and anxiety after childbirth during the first two weeks. Whereas in the case of postpartum depression, the feeling is more severe and can last longer, affecting daily life.

With women experiencing Postpartum depression, it can really affect their overall health, and the child also has to bear the consequences of this condition. 

Overview of Postpartum Depression 

As defined earlier postpartum depression is a depressive disorder caused after childbirth. Various factors, such as physical, chemical and emotional factors, can cause the onset of this mental condition.

Most commonly, a woman goes from fluctuation in her hormones after childbirth. And these hormonal changes are considered to be one of the most important factors that promote the onset of the disease. Moreover, it is also believed that past trauma and depression conditions can also lead to such conditions. Some other factors that can also be responsible for the disorder are lack of support or a difficult pregnancy and delivery process.

It is advised not to take this condition lightly as it can cause serious issues and disturb the child-mother bond, which can lead to inappropriate growth of the child.  

Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms 

Talking about the symptoms of postpartum depression, it can manifest itself in various different forms. You can feel sadness as a mother, or you can also go through symptoms of having a loss of interest, changes in appetite, and sleep disturbances. 

As a woman, you might think that it is not a big deal, but you must understand that it is a medical condition that can lead to serious outcomes if not properly treated. So, if you experience these symptoms as a woman, you should seek help immediately.

In PPD, early detection makes the treatment process more easy and simpler, and you can quickly fight back. With more and more awareness regarding this aspect, plenty of different resources are available today, and with their use, you can get your life back on track and take care of your loved child.

Coping Strategies for Postpartum Depression

There are various different coping strategies when it comes to postpartum depression. Here is the list of the most common ones you can use.

Therapy

First on our list is therapy. It is one of the most efficient ways to cope with the disease. Now talking about the therapy, it can be of any kind and sort. 

How a theory works is that it helps you understand your own feelings. As you understand what you feel, then the treatment becomes easy. One of the top therapies is cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT is a therapy that focuses on getting rid of the negative thoughts that prevail in our minds. And to eliminate them, we have to incorporate positive ones that can take their place.

More forms of therapy are interpersonal psychotherapy and talk therapy. In interpersonal one, your current situation is addressed by a therapist. In talk therapy, the therapist listens to your situation and tries to find your own answers to the issue from your talk.

Exercise

Exercise is one effective method when it comes to treating postpartum depression. After childbirth, you focus more on your child's health, so you are so involved that your health can get disturbed. After childbirth regular exercising can help you achieve a good mental level after childbirth.

With exercise, hormones such as endorphins are released in the brain, and these hormones have the ability to improve mood and reduce stress. Moreover, as you exercise, your physical health gets better, which maintains overall body activity.

Nutrition

After childbirth, nutrition is a crucial aspect that must not be ignored. You have to make sure that you are consuming a balanced diet with appropriate proportions of all the essential nutrients. The diet must be free from processed foods and highly sugared snacks.  

With proper nutrition, mental health and hormonal level remains stable, which can help in relieving the symptoms of PPD. Moreover, healthy nutrition is essential as a mother has to feed his child.  

Sleep

Sleep is also an important factor. As a mother, you must take care of your baby, which can disrupt the sleep schedule. And due to this reason, mothers can lack proper sleep. And this lack of sleep can heighten your symptoms of PPD.

So as a mother, you must take care of your sleep. With child care, it is difficult, but you should take a nap when your child is asleep and fulfill your bodily need for sleep, which otherwise would get affected. And as you provide your body with good 7-8 hours of recommended sleep, you can see improvement in your PPD.

Connecting With Others

Another approach you can use as a mother is connecting with other mothers experiencing the same condition. As you connect with others like you, you get the feeling that you are not alone in dealing with this condition. So you share your feelings with them as you know that they will not judge you for this. So you get to unload the stress you were experiencing. And that can really help in getting rid of the PPD. 

Moreover, as you connect with them, you hear success stories motivating you that you can get out of this period.

Mindfulness Practices

Finally, the last approach you can adopt is practicing mindfulness practices. As you are present, you can better understand your feeling and the trigger that enhances your feeling. And after you understand your condition and triggers, you can better cope with your condition and find out ways which help you feel better.

For mindfulness, you can opt for practices like meditation or yoga, as they are effective in relieving postpartum depression symptoms.