Great Moms Can Get Postpartum Depression
Our culture is filled with beautiful social media posts or ads, depicting rosy, happy moms and their beautiful, bouncy bundles of joy. Then there are all the parenting blogs full of descriptions of moms happily nursing their babies and toddlers, while hiking the Appalachian Trail, making their own organic baby food, and managing to crochet their book covers. for babies already compiled, all at the same time.
But that is not reality.
Unfortunately, by hiding the reality that 1 in 7 women experience postpartum depression or postpartum anxiety, we don’t give women the chance to feel safe admitting how they feel after giving birth.
Having postpartum depression, feeling angry or sad all the time, getting irritated by your baby’s constant demands—it’s all normal. That’s why we want women to recognize 5 of the most common signs of postpartum depression and share them with their doctor, licensed counselor, or postpartum support group. Communicating is the first step to understanding that she can be the greatest mom in the world and still have postpartum depression, and help is on the way.
5 Signs You May Be Suffering From Postpartum Depression
Here are 5 of the most common symptoms of postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety. Do they sound familiar? Are you noticing these symptoms in your spouse, partner, daughter, sister, or a good friend? Share this blog, spread the word, and find a postpartum support group in your area. You can also call a postpartum support hotline at 1-800-944-4773 for more immediate assistance.
You feel sad, depressed, hopeless, anxious, out of control on a regular basis
Most new moms will feel one, two, or all of these emotions from time to time. However, women with postpartum depression (PPD) feel them frequently, potentially even daily or all the time. These “negative” feelings make daily functioning difficult and may compromise your ability to care for yourself, your baby, or her other children.
You may find yourself crying all the time, yelling or experiencing outbursts of anger that are not normal for you, constantly feeling anxious or fearful for your baby’s well-being, feeling hopeless, etc. These are the most common symptoms of postpartum depression. .
You don’t feel attached to your baby.
How many times have you heard the story, “the moment I held my baby, I felt love like I had never felt before…”. Well, that story is all well and good unless you’re one of the many, many women who secretly admit that No bond with your baby right away.
And, when you have postpartum depression, it’s even harder to bond with the baby, which makes you feel even worse.
Instead, know that you are not alone and that it is only a matter of time before you love your baby. For some women, it can take weeks or even months for her to form a strong, loving and undeniable bond with her newborn. In the meantime, pay attention to the other feelings she’s having, and if sadness, anger, frustration, anxiety, and hopelessness are a norm, talk to someone about it.
you can not sleep
While sleep deprivation is the norm for all but a very lucky few parents, most parents are still able to get a few hours here and there at night or during the day when baby is sleeping. Women with PDD or postpartum anxiety, however, may find themselves completely exhausted but unable to sleep. Or, they may fall asleep for a brief moment, but then wake up and can’t go back to sleep, no matter how exhausted they are.
Not sleeping will only aggravate the problem, so seek help from a trusted health care provider as soon as possible.
You find yourself planning to run away, escape or, at the worst times, fantasize about taking your own life.
Yes, the PPD is shady. It will make you feel completely disconnected from the ones you love the most, the world around you, friends, co-workers and the world in general. As if you’re floating on high, you can even see yourself having full conversations with other people or going through the normal motions of life, while asking yourself, “My God…if only they knew how I really feel.”
Postpartum depression can make you feel like you’re completely unworthy of motherhood, that you suck to be a mother, that you just can’t hack this thing that every other woman seems to take in stride…
That is normal too. You are not alone. There are millions and millions of women in the world who know exactly how you feel… and some of them are sitting next to you on the park bench, on the bus, in line at the supermarket: 1 in 7, remember. ..
You are afraid that if you share your feelings with someone, they will think you are a horrible mother and/or take your baby away from you.
Almost all mothers with PPD say they were afraid that if they told the truth, people would think they were crazy, that they were bad mothers, that they were not capable of taking care of their baby, or that the baby would be taken away from them.
In fact, if you share these feelings with a health professional or a postpartum support group, you will feel calm, cared for, sympathized, or even empathized, and you can start on the road to healing.
You are more likely to experience DPP if or when…
You are more likely to experience postpartum depression if or when:
- Live a traumatic birth experience
- You have a history or family history of depression or anxiety.
- Had PPD in the past
- You have experienced significant stress or trauma in the recent past, such as a move, death of a family member or close friend, job change, divorce, etc.
- Having a baby with special needs or requiring medical attention
- Are you a new mother, a young mother or an older mother?
- You lack family, friends, or a community that would normally support you as a new mother
- They are experiencing labor and/or financial problems.
Knowing that you are more prone to postpartum depression will make you more alert to symptoms after your baby is born.
Do you live in the Kansas City area and suspect you have postpartum depression? Feel free to contact us here at Women’s Health Associates. We are a health care provider “for women, made by women” and we are ready to give you the compassionate support you deserve.
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