Postpartum Depression

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Postpartum Depression

• By Stacie Burton

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Baby Blues

• Occur in 50 to 75 of new mothers
• Lasts from a few hours to a week or two
• Generally will peak on the 5th postpartum day
• Happiness to sadness
• Laughing to crying
• Organized to confused
• Confident to panicky

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Postpartum Depression

• Is usually diagnosed if symptoms persist passed 2
  weeks postpartum.
• One out of every eight women have postpartum
  depression.
• It is the most common complication among women in
  the postpartum period.

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Postpartum Psychosis

• Rare condition
• Typically develops within the first six weeks
  after delivery
• Signs symptoms much more severe
• Confusion and disorientation
• Hallucinations and delusions
• Paranoia
• Attempts to harm yourself or the baby

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Postpartum Depression

• Teenage mothers are more than 2.5 times likely to
  suffer from postpartum depression than older
  mothers.
• African American mothers are twice as likely than
  white.
• Mothers younger than 20 and/or have less than a
  high school education are less likely to seek
  help.

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Signs Symptoms

• Loss of appetite
• Loss of energy
• Overwhelming fatigue
• Insomnia
• Severe mood swings
• Feelings of shame, guilt, or inadequacy
• Difficulty bonding with the baby
• Withdrawal from family and friends
• Thoughts of harming yourself or the baby

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Causes

• Physical Changes
• Dramatic drop in estrogen and progesterone
• Thyroid hormones may drop sharply which can
  leave you feeling tired and sluggish
• Changes in blood volume, blood pressure, immune
  system and metabolism can lead to fatigue and
  mood swings.

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Causes

• Emotional Factors
• Feeling anxious about your ability to care for
  newborn
• Feeling less attractive
• Struggling with your sense of identity
• Jealousy of all the attention/affection baby is
  getting from their partner.

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Risk Factors

• Pregnancy unplanned or unwanted
• History of depression or previous postpartum
  depression
• Marital conflicts
• Weak support system
• Experienced stressful events during the past year
• Illness
• Job loss
• Pregnancy complications

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Risk Factors

• History of substance abuse
• Financial problems
• Young age (of mother)
• Family history of mental illness

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Effects on Mother-Infant Interaction

• Less affectionate contact behavior
• Less responsive to babies cues
• Intrusive and hostile
• More withdrawn
• Flat affect

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Effects on Baby

• Tend to be fussier
• More discontent
• More avoidant
• Make fewer positive facial expressions and
  vocalizations

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Effects on Children

• More likely to have behavioral issues, such as
  temper tantrums and hyperactivity
• Sleeping and eating difficulties
• Delays in language development

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Treatments

• Counseling
• Support Groups
• Psychotherapy
• Antidepressants
• Hormone Therapy

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Hormone Therapy

• Estrogen replacement may help counteract the
  rapid drop in estrogen that accompanies child
  birth.

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Counseling

• Talking with a psychiatrist, psychologist, or
  other mental health professional can help you
  find better ways to cope with your feelings,
  solve problems, and set realistic goals.
  Sometimes, family or marital therapy also is
  helpful.

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Support Groups

• Join a support group of new moms or talk with
  other moms.

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Psychotherapy

• Focuses on mothers fears and concerns regarding
  new responsibilities and roles and allows for
  monitoring of suicidal or homicidal thoughts.

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Antidepressants

• Are a proven treatment for postpartum depression.
• Zoloft
• Paxil
• Celexa
• Prozac

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Prevention

• Rest as much as you can
• Eat healthy foods and avoid alcohol
• Set realistic expectations
• Make time for yourself
• Avoid isolation

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They are well worth it!
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References

• National Womens Health Information Center U.S.
  Department of Health and Human Services
• Association of Womens Health, Obstetric
  Neonatal Nurses, Second Edition
• March of Dimes, Pregnancy Newborn Health
  Education Center
• MayoClinic.com