A few days ago, me and my co-employee are talking about Postpartum depression. Some of them already have their own family and few of them confessed that they experience postpartum depression.
Actually, that's not the reason why I wrote about postpartum depression. I was just amazed because I think the Holy Ghost is with me by the time I asked my co-employee about postpartum depression. Why did I say so? Because last Sunday, I got my monthly issue of Liahona (The Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints' Magazine) and one of the topic that was written on the Church Magazine is about postpartum depression.
What is Postpartum Depression?
Postpartum Depression or the so called Postnatal depression is a form of depression that usually affect the mother who just gave birth. According to some studies, postpartum depression is an illness. Researchers believe that it happens during pregnancy and it is because of the hormonal changes that the mother experience during pregnancy that leads to depression.
Research shows that 0ne (1) out of ten (10) mothers experience postpartum depression. It occurs within four weeks after giving birth but sometimes it occurs after several months. Some mother can easily control themselves after a few weeks but others cannot.
Baby blues and Postpartum Depression
Baby blues is different from postpartum depression. As what I have said, Postpartum depression is an illness while baby blues is just a temporary sadness. It also appear after giving birth but can only last for ten (10) days.
Mothers who experience baby blues have the following symptoms:
- tearfulness
- irritability
- fatigue
- anxiety
- emotional sensitivity
What are the symptoms of Postpartum depression?
Dr. Cheryl T. Beck a nurse researcher said that postpatum depression is a thief. It steals the motherhood of a woman.She listed the symptoms of postpartum depression and it includes the following:
- A depressed mood
- Absence of laughter
- Blank facial expression
- Sadness
- Inadequacy
- Indecisiveness about ordinary matters
- Irritation
- Struggling for perfection
- Feeling of sense of failure
- Difficulty in sleeping
- Experiencing shattered expectations
- Plunging into despair
- Difficulty in focusing
- Feeling lonely
- Difficulty in sleeping
- Lack of appetite
- Struggling to survive
- Feeling of losing her mind
Family of the woman who are struggling to postpartum depression should be aware of what;s happening and they should help the mother and also the child. Because the mood of the mother affects the mood of the newly born child. And it can also affect the whole family. It is very important that the mother is seeing support from her family.
It is very important that the husband help and support his wife in daily activities such as:
- Taking over household chores and taking good care of their children
- Helping the mother to get enough sleep, appropriate nutrition, and exercise.
- Assisting the baby
- Listening, caring and just being with her can also help the mother
- Husband must be aware that his wife is experiencing depression.
We are hearing lots of bad news about postpartum depression and recently a news outside our country about a woman who ate the brain of her newly born child. It is really sad that this things happen specially to the newly born baby.
Now, that we all know what to do and what are the things that we should know and consider once a woman is experiencing postpartum depression. We can be a big help to those families or to those mothers who are experiencing the said depression.
