Postpartum Depression - All You Need to Know About

Q: How can I support someone with postpartum depression?

If your loved one is experiencing postpartum depression, the best thing you can do is offer her your support. Give her a break from childcare duties and be patient with her. This is just a phase and shall pass very soon.

As per reports, postpartum depression is common in one out of 9 new mothers. The symptoms amplify as mothers feel overwhelmed when a new baby enters their life. If your hormonal imbalance, the feeling of hopelessness, sadness, etc., continues for more than two weeks can symbolize the onset of postpartum depression. Cadabams Hospital equipped with professional and qualified doctors caters to all your mental ailment needs including perinatal mental health care for women. The hospital relies on different treatment methods like medication (group/individual) and others to provide complete relief to patients.

Postpartum Depression – An Overview

Becoming a new mom is not easy! No matter how much you love your baby, but there will come a time where you will be overwhelmed with the new responsibilities.

Many new moms get an inferiority complex with people posting pictures on social media with their best hair day, skin day or perfect body. After delivering a baby, it is customary to gain weight and have skin or hair issues.

With the hormones going crazy, new responsibilities, inferiority complex, sleep deprivation, no time for self-care, it is normal for the new moms to feel that they are on an emotional rollercoaster ride.

Well, we have to say that you are not alone in this! According to stats, 1 in 7 women face postpartum depression after a year of giving birth.

Mood swings and mild depression is common in new mothers and is known as baby blues and tapers off by the second or third week. But if the symptoms don’t go away and become worse, you may be suffering from postpartum depression.

In this article, we have mentioned what a new mom needs to know about postpartum depression and how she can overcome it.

What are the symptoms of Postpartum Depression?

Symptoms of postpartum depression initially can be like baby blues, but later they can get more severe.

To give you a deep insight below, we are mentioning some of the red flags for postpartum depression.

You may feel like withdrawing yourself from your partner.
You may feel that you are not a good mom and cannot take care of your baby.
You may not be able to bond well with your baby.
You might be anxious all the time and worry even when the baby is well.
You may feel tired all day and face frequent mood changes.
There is a change in appetite.

Hormonal Changes after Childbirth

Pregnancy is beautiful, and the feeling of meeting your baby for the first time is indescribable. However, it can often trigger a lot of hormonal changes within your body. Here’s a quick overview of how your hormones will change over the next few days:

Your progesterone and estrogen levels will decrease as soon as the baby gets delivered
Oxytocin levels will improve to compensate for the fall in progesterone and estrogen levels
Prolactin increases within your body to encourage breast milk production

What are the risk factors for Postpartum Depression?

Postpartum depression does not occur because of one or two contributing factors. It happens because of physical and emotional changes that happen in the woman’s body. Some of them are:

Hormones go crazy: After a woman gives birth, there is a drastic drop in the hormone levels, making you feel depressed and tired.

Hard time facing the self-image: Changes in the body are part and parcel of the pregnancy. It is normal to feel less attractive because of weight gain and stretch marks. You may even lose control over your life as you have to manage everything and take care of your baby as well.

Physical pain: Delivering a baby is not a midnight ice-cream craving! The pain of delivering the baby may, for some moms’ last for a week for some moms.

Anxiety: Anxiety is one of the major contributing factors leading to depression. Some new moms feel anxious about their ability to handle the baby.

Sleep Deprivation: When you lack sleep, you feel overwhelmed and have trouble handling minor issues.
History of depression: If the mother has a history of depression, it is more likely that she may get postpartum depression.

How can you treat Postpartum Depression?

You may have heard that the only effective way to treat postpartum depression is to take therapy.

Which is right.

But nobody tells you about the types of therapies and how they take place.

To get you acquainted with it, below, we are describing different types of therapies that are usually utilized to treat postpartum depression:

Interpersonal Therapy

Interpersonal therapy is one of the most effective treatments to treat postpartum depression. It lasts for 12-16 weeks, and the main goal is symptom relief.

The main goal of IPT is to work on communication skills to build a stronger relationship.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

Initially, it was a treatment for people suffering from BPD, but now it is used to treat instances of postpartum depression.

In DBT therapy, a specific guideline is given after figures out the cause of depression. The guidance is given to reduce stress.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

CBT is best known to treat anxiety and works by understanding the thoughts that result in negative feelings. A CBT therapist will first identify the thoughts and evaluate them to explore the underlying reasons.

Solution-focused Brief Psychotherapy

It focuses on a specific issue and moves forward to bring a positive change. Unlike the other therapies that focus on past trauma, solution-focused therapy highlights the mom’s strength.

It is a concise term therapy and focuses on a solution-based result rather than problem-solving.

The Bottom Line

Postpartum depression is standard among new moms and is completely curable with proper treatment and support from the family.

There are so many questions around postpartum depression that we thought of answering some of them for you.

Why Cadabams?

At Cadabams, we ensure that you and your loved ones get the treatment you need and deserve. Our team of psychiatrists is an expert in psychosocial rehabilitation, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT), and family-focused therapy that has proven to be highly effective in alleviating the symptoms of postpartum depression in new moms. We have over two decades of expertise in handling the most complex and severe postpartum-related challenges. Our multispecialty team of psychiatrists, psychologists, counsellors, physicians work round the clock and are with you every step of the way. We offer world-class evidence-based treatment.

Cadabams is widely trusted by various healthcare experts to help individuals suffering from the sense of postpartum that impacts productivity in their day-to-day lives. It is a comfortable facility where individuals are treated with attention, love, care, and concern. We offer an exclusive range of solutions and treatments based on the condition and issues faced by an individual.

Call us on our mental health helpline +91 96111 94949 for further details.

Disclaimer – We strive to treat our patients with dignity and the utmost sensitivity. We understand that postpartum and being critical about it is not a sign of weakness. We don’t use any term in a derogatory fashion but to remain relevant to user search trends and common usage. In case you or a loved share a unique viewpoint on how we can improve this content for our readers, please reach out to us at info@cadabams.org

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FAQs on Postpartum Depression: Your Queries Answered

How long do postpartum hormones last?

Postpartum hormones last for a few weeks after giving birth, and it usually lasts for 6 to 8 weeks.

Is postpartum depression normal?

Yes, postpartum depression is entirely normal and can be cured with the help of therapies.

How long does PPD last?

It is entirely different for every mom, but the sooner your treatment begins, the sooner it will go away.

If your loved one is experiencing postpartum depression, then the best thing you can do is offer her your support. Give her a break from childcare duties and be patient with her.

This is just a phase and shall pass very soon.