Post Natal/Partum Depression
By Pixie
As Mother’s Day approaches many mothers will receive various cards and gifts of significance showing love and appreciation. But for some women it is more difficult to be a Mother then many realise. It is often difficult to talk about such gloomy subjects but I feel it’s of upmost importance to recognise that for all Mothers, Motherhood is not such an easy task. Post-natal/ partum depression also known as the baby blues can happen within the first six weeks of giving birth to a baby. Often symptoms are passed as hormonal change and some mothers are left undiagnosed for up to 6 months after the baby is born.
It is a medical condition which is much more common than people think around 1 in 10 women are diagnosed with this condition and im sure there would be more as it comes in varying stages and degrees. Many women go left undiagnosed as they put the symptom down to the hormonal changes the body goes through after having the baby. Some of the symptoms related to post-natal depression are mood changes, irritability and moments of tearfulness. Some women don’t recognise they have postnatal depression, or they choose to ignore their symptoms because they’re afraid of being seen as a bad mother. It is really important that mothers take note of their behaviour and mood after having a baby and consult a doctor f they feel something is off.
Postnatal depression can be lonely, distressing and frightening, but there are many treatments available. As long as it's recognised and treated, postnatal depression is a temporary condition you can recover from. It's very important to seek treatment if you think you or your partner has postnatal depression. The condition is unlikely to get better by itself quickly and it could impact on the care of the baby.
Postnatal depression is often misunderstood and there are many myths surrounding it. These include: Postnatal depression is less severe than other types of depression. In fact, it's as serious as other types of depression, postnatal depression is entirely caused by hormonal changes. It's actually caused by many different factors. Postnatal depression will soon pass. Unlike the "baby blues", the symptoms of postnatal depression can persist for months if left untreated. In a minority of cases it can become a long-term problem.
The cause of postnatal depression isn't clear, but it's thought to be the result of several things rather than a single cause. These include; the physical and emotional stress of looking after a new-born baby, particularly a lack of sleep, hormonal changes that occur shortly after pregnancy; some women may be particularly sensitive to these changes, individual social circumstances, such as money worries, poor social support or relationship problems. Research shows that having any of the following may put you at further risk of developing post-natal depression, a previous history of depression or other mood disorders. A previous history of postnatal depression and if you experienced any depression or anxiety during the pregnancy.
There are some preventative measures one can take to try reduce the risk of postnatal depression. You should tell your GP if you've had postnatal depression in the past and you're pregnant, or if you're considering having another baby. A previous history of postnatal depression increases your risk of developing it again. If you keep your GP informed, they'll be aware that postnatal depression could develop after your baby is born. This will prevent a delay in diagnosis and treatment can begin earlier. In the early stages, postnatal depression can be easy to miss. The following self-help measures can also be useful in preventing postnatal depression, get as much rest and relaxation as possible, take regular gentle exercise, don't go for long periods without food, as low blood sugar levels can make you feel much worse, don't drink alcohol because it can make you feel worse, eat a healthy, balanced diet.
So as we take a day to thank our Mothers for all the support they give us remember that for some it is harder to be a mother. All in all being a Mother is not an easy task without any other conditions to go along with it. We should thank our mothers each and every day for choosing to have us. Because without them we wouldn’t be here.