Take Steps Towards Managing Your Stress
Maintain realistic expectations
You’re not super woman, so you don’t have to be super mom. Young babies demand a lot of time. It’s not possible for you to achieve all the things you were achieving before your baby arrived. Rather than further exhaust yourself trying, it may be necessary to take stock of the situation and assess what is important.
You may need to ‘let go’ of a few things for now. Delegate or postpone anything that’s not essential to be achieved at this time. Your baby will quickly grow and become more independent Your depression will pass and you will find you have more time and more energy in the future.
Learn to say “No”
As women we are socialized from birth to put others needs first. Most of us genuinely enjoy caring for others. However, there may come a time when you need to set limits on what others are expecting from you and focus your efforts on your baby, yourself or your family. Learn to set limits and say “No”.
Use relaxation techniques
One of the most stressful times a parent faces is adjusting to life with a new baby. When you feel out of control or under intense pressure, you may experience many different physical, emotional, or mental symptoms brought on by negative stress.
Practicing relaxation techniques will assist you to manage stress, improve your health, release unwanted emotions, clarify your thoughts, increase your energy, feel more peacefulness, sleep better and more.
Three of the most popular relaxation techniques are…
What Is Postpartum Psychosis
Postpartum psychosis is rare. It happens in up to 4 new mothers out of every 1,000 births. It usually begins in the first 2 weeks after childbirth. It is a medical emergency. Women who have bipolar disorder or another mental health condition called schizoaffective disorder have a higher risk of postpartum psychosis. Symptoms may include:
- Seeing or hearing things that arent there
- Feeling confused most of the time
- Having rapid mood swings within several minutes
- Trying to hurt yourself or your baby
- Restlessness or agitation
- Behaving recklessly or in a way that is not normal for you
Postpartum Depression: Not Just For Parents With Babies
Its worth remembering that postpartum basically means going back to being not pregnant. So those who have had a miscarriage or abortion can also experience many of the mental and physical effects of being in the postpartum period, including PPD.
Whats more, non-birthing partners can received a PPD diagnosis, too. Even though they may not experience the physical changes brought on by giving birth, they do experience many of the lifestyle ones.
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- thoughts of suicide
These symptoms may lead to difficulty with breastfeeding or chestfeeding and bonding with baby.
If you feel as though you or someone you know could be experiencing these symptoms, its important to talk with a healthcare professional as soon as possible. PPD is a serious medical condition.
The exact cause of PPD is currently unknown. However, its thought that a combination of factors may play a role in its development. These factors include:
- previous psychological issues
- life stressors that come with a new baby
Dysregulation of reproductive hormones right after childbirth remains one of the key reasons many doctors believe PPD occurs in some individuals.
Your doctor will likely ask you about your current mental and physical health, as well as any medications you may be taking. They may also ask you about your history with other mental health concerns.
If you need immediate support, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.
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How Much Bleeding Is Normal After Giving Birth
After you give birth, postpartum bleeding i.e. lochia can last for up to six weeks. It will be just like a very heavy period made up of leftover blood, tissue from your uterus and mucus. Bleeding is heaviest for the first three to 10 days, then it will taper off going from red to pink to brown to yellowish-white.
If you spot large clots or youre bleeding through more than one pad every hour, call your doctor right away to rule out postpartum hemorrhage. During this time, tampons are off-limits, so youll have to rely on pads.
How To Get Relief
Dont feel as though you need to power through PPD on your own. Receiving help means youll be able to continue loving and caring for your baby to the best of your ability.
There are several options for PPD treatment, and you may need to utilize more than one strategy. There are also lifestyle changes that may make recovery go faster.
Dont stop until you find a combination of treatments that works for you. Relief from PPD is possible with the right interventions.
Here are some options:
- Antidepressants. Your doctor may prescribe a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor to treat your depression. There are several SSRIs available. Your doctor will work with you to find one that best treats your symptoms with the fewest side effects. Many SSRIs are compatible with breastfeeding or chestfeeding, but make sure your provider knows if youre nursing so they can choose the appropriate medication and dosage.
- Counseling.Cognitive behavioral therapy is a frontline strategy for treating depression, including symptoms of PPD. If you need help locating a provider in your area, you can search for one here.
- Group therapy. It may be helpful for you to share your experiences with other parents who have had PPD. Finding a support group, either in person or online, can be a valuable lifeline. To locate a PPD support group in your area, try searching by state here.
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Signs Of Postnatal Depression
Postnatal depression can have a broad range of symptoms. These can vary in how severe they are.
You may be feeling sad, anxious and alone. You may be feeling guilty, irritable and angry. You may be experiencing panic attacks. You may not enjoy being with people, even your baby.
Other symptoms of postnatal depression include:
- loss of appetite
Feelings and thoughts you might experience include:
- feeling inadequate
- feeling rejected by your baby
- worrying a lot about your baby
Obsessive behaviour may be another sign of postnatal depression. You may have overwhelming fears, for example about your baby dying. Some mothers have recurring thoughts about harming their baby. Very few mothers ever act on this.
Get help from your GP or public health nurse if these feelings or symptoms last for more than 2 weeks or if you have any thoughts of harming yourself or your baby
Do not let worrying thoughts you may have about your baby stop you from seeking help. Effective treatment is available. The vast majority of women with postnatal depression are treated at home with their baby.
Your family and friends may notice that you have postnatal depression before you do. If they mention this to you, take it seriously and seek help from your GP or public health nurse.
Tips For Recovering From Postpartum Depression
There was a time in my motherhood journey where I thought I had lost myself.
Overwhelmed with two small children at home, touched out, over tired, burdened by the invisible load of motherhood, being on the go all day but never feeling like I got anything done, I was beyond weary.
My newborn refused to eat or sleep and I had tried EVERYTHING. Nothing worked. I had difficulty accepting that this baby was nothing like the first one, nothing like my expectations. The perfectionism that set in with my first child was compounded by the second who needed more than I was able to give. I thought I was going to know what to do this time and when nothing worked it sent me into a spiral. My time, my energy, and my emotional battery ran out and I stopped being able to feel.
Disclaimer: My story is a personal account of my own journey with postpartum depression, and it should not be taken as a substitute for professional advice. I strongly believe that anyone who feels they may need support should seek the help of a qualified health care professional they were vital in my own journey, and are trained to find the right support for each persons unique and individual care. If you are in crisis know there are many compassionate and expert teams available to help you. Call 911 or consult with your local emergency department. If you need help you deserve it, and can get it.
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How Long Does It Take For Hormones To Return To Normal
It may take a few months after childbirth before your hormones return back to how they were before giving birth and how you felt while you were pregnant. The length of time it takes for the hormones in your body to return back may vary from woman to woman. You should look out for any physical or emotional changes that seem unusual during this period because these could be signs of postpartum depression.
Why It Might Last Longer For You
The timeline for PPD is different for everyone. If you have certain risk factors, you might find your PPD lasting longer even with treatment. The severity of your symptoms and how long you had symptoms before beginning treatment can affect how long your PPD lasts.
Risk factors include:
- a complicated pregnancy or delivery
- a lack of support from your partner or family members and friends
- other major life changes occurring during the postpartum period, like a move or loss of employment
- a history of PPD after a previous pregnancy
Theres no formula to determine who will experience PPD and who wont, or for how long itll last. But with the right treatment, especially when its received early, you can find relief even if you have one of these risk factors.
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Here Are Four Ways To Help Cope:
Therapy
Therapists and psychiatrists are still providing treatment, and many are now using telemedicine to meet with their patients. This allows you to receive care from the safety and comfort of your home.
Talking through difficult issues and feelings arent always easy to do with family or friends, says Lauren Kaczka-Weiss, D.O., a psychiatrist at Hackensack Meridian Health. Therapy provides you with an outlet to discuss things you might not usually talk about, work through problems, learn techniques to help cope, and find a way to start feeling like yourself again.
Digitally connect
There are plenty of tools available for you to video chat with family and friends. Phone calls are good as well, but video chats will help strengthen your connection with others from the safety of your home using your phone, tablet or computer.
Online groups help you connect with other mothers going through the same issues, especially during this time of social distancing. Ask friends or your doctor about what group they recommend.
Medication
Lifestyle Changes
Youve already made changes during your pregnancy, but there are other important lifestyle changes you should consider as a mom. These tips may be especially helpful if you are suffering from depression or anxiety.
Friends and family should still try to support a new mom as much as possible. A great way for them to help is by having groceries delivered or dropping off diapers or a few meals.
Enhancing Healthcare Team Outcomes
Because of the high morbidity of postpartum depression, the focus today is now on prevention. Unlike the psychiatrist, the nurse is in a primary position to identify women at high risk for postpartum mood disorders before delivery. During the admission, the nurse may identify the female with a prior history of depression or postpartum blues. Further, any female who develops depression during pregnancy should be identified and closely followed by the postpartum nurse or primary care provider. These women need education and support on available treatments. Some of these women may benefit from a consult with a therapist and others may need a referral to a psychiatrist for treatment with an antidepressant after delivery. Both pharmacological and nonpharmacological prophylaxis has been used in such settings with variable success. There is also a large body of evidence that postpartum women with depression who are treated have a much better mother-infant bonding experience than those women who forego treatment. More important, infants of mothers who are depressed may also develop a variety of mood and behavior problems, as well as obesity later in life. Despite awareness of postpartum depression, many women miss out on treatment because they are simply not followed after pregnancy. Thus, the role of the postpartum visiting nurse is critical.
Outcomes
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What Are Alternative Ways To Heal From Postpartum Depression
Alternative ways to heal from postpartum depression are very important. It is important to be aware of how serious this condition is and how you are not alone in dealing with it. While medical treatment can help, many women find relief by working with a mental health provider that specializes in treating postpartum depression or other mood disorders. Also, there are natural ways that can help alleviate symptoms of PPD including exercise, socialization, engaging in activities you enjoy, and spending time with family and friends.
Where To Get Help
The help and treatment you need depends on how severe your PND is. Your GP and health visitor can help you decide what kind of help you need. If you dont get the help you think you need straight away, you can ask for a second opinion or you could see a different GP.
Try some of the self-help suggestions below. If this is not enough, you might find a talking therapy helpful. For more severe depression, you may need medication, with or without talking therapy. Your GP can advise you about these treatments.
A small number of women will need help from mental health services. Your GP can refer you to a perinatal mental health service – a specialist service for pregnant women or women with a baby under a year old. Otherwise you can be referred to a Community Mental Health Team. These are usually only needed for women with more severe illnesses.
Only a few women will need to go into hospital for treatment of PND. In that case, you should usually be admitted with your baby to a specialist Mother and Baby Unit.
If you cannot look after yourself or your baby, or if you have plans to harm yourself, you should be seen urgently by:
- a mental health service – your GP can arrange this. You may already have a crisis number to call
- your local Emergency Department – open 24 hours.
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Yogic Principles Are Tools To Help You Recover From Postpartum Depression
The bottom line is simple, mama. Yoga, in all of its facets, is a wonderful way to help you take care of yourself and a vital tool to help you recover from postpartum depression. And there is no such thing as taking good care of your baby, your work, or anyone else, if you have not taken care of yourself first. Yoga for postpartum depression may offer you relief, comfort and time for self-care.
Recovering From Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression is a condition that affects different people in different ways. Not only are the symptoms and appropriate treatments different for each person, but the recovery process is also very personal.
Recovering from postpartum depression involves ongoing treatment, family support, education and coping skills as well as regular self-help practices. A full recovery from postpartum depression is almost always possible for anyone affected. Though no one can guarantee when it will go away, it eventually does pass.
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Why Is Treatment Important
Most women will get better without any treatment within 3 to 6 months. 1 in 4 mothers with PND are still depressed when their child is one-year-old.13 However, this can mean a lot of suffering. PND can spoil the experience of new motherhood. It can strain your relationship with your baby and partner. You may not look after your baby, or yourself, as well as you would when you are well. PND can affect your child’s development and behaviour even after the depression has ended.14 So the shorter it lasts, the better.
The treatment you need depends on how unwell you are. You should be told about all the likely benefits and risks of treatment so you can make the best choice for you.
Treatment includes: 15
Seeking Treatment For Postpartum Depression
Thankfully, help is out there. Know that it is not selfish to take time away from caring for your baby to seek treatmentgetting help is the best possible course of action, both for the health of your child and for yourself. Your condition is not your fault, but by seeking treatment, you can overcome it.
Treatment will most likely involve various forms of psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy to help you learn how to cope with and respond to situations and negative thoughts in more proactive and positive ways, and interpersonal therapy to help relieve your symptoms. Medically supervised use of medications such as antidepressants are also frequently used in the treatment of postpartum depression. Youll also learn how to implement lifestyle changes such as proper nutrition, regular sleeping habits, and methods of seeking extra support when needed.
As to how long postpartum depression treatment lasts, the answer varies depending on the severity of the condition. While untreated postpartum depression may last for years, it will likely go away in about six months with careful and appropriate professional treatment. The sooner you begin treatment, the sooner you can resume a normal and loving bond with your baby.
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Factors That Affect Your Postpartum Depression Recovery
There are many factors that can affect your postpartum depression recovery. This is why everyone recovery takes a different amount of time.
There is no set time limit to the question of how long does postpartum depression last.
Some of the factors that can affect how quickly youll recover from postpartum depression are as follows:
- how bad your postpartum depression is the worse your postpartum depression or postpartum anxiety is, the longer it takes to get better
- how long you left it before you got treatment the longer you left it to get help and treatment the longer your recovery will be
- how well your medication and other treatment is working how well your antidepressants and other treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy are working will affect your recovery time
- past mental health issues
- stop trying to be perfect the good enough mumis perfect enough, so give yourself a break
Your recovery is personal to you and its important to not compare yours to some-one elses.
It does not help you putting unrealistic pressure on yourself to reach someone elses goals. Do whats right for you and dont worry about anyone else. A fully recovery is possible.
Your recovery from your postpartum depression symptoms will need ongoing treatment, support and self-care. Some with extreme cases may find they need to be admitted to a mother and baby unit.
It can be lonely, and at times you might feel like youre never going to get better.