Already during pregnancy, a woman prepares for the future role of a mother on a psychological level, as well as for all the difficulties that lie ahead in this period. After giving birth, many women experience fear of breastfeeding and caring for the baby. There may also be fear for the health of the newborn. However, very soon all fears are left behind, the woman calms down and gradually enters the role of mother. Unfortunately, not everyone has a happy ending. Some women have a painful state of anxiety, unjustified by objective reasons. In medicine, this kind of change is called depression. In this article, we will talk in more detail about this condition, the main causes and ways to prevent it.
What is postpartum depression?
This is a fairly serious mental illness that develops exclusively in postpartum period and characterized by a depressed mood, loss of former interests. This pathological condition most often occurs in the first or second week after the baby is born.
This type of depression is directly related to social, chemical, and psychological changes in a woman's life. Fortunately, this pathology is highly treatable.
The chemical changes observed in the body are explained by fluctuations in hormone levels after childbirth. However, experts still have not been able to find scientific confirmation of the connection between hormones and depression itself. It is known that during the period of bearing a baby, the level increases 10 times. After the birth of the child, these indicators fall sharply, and after another three days they return to the level that was before pregnancy.
Along with hormonal changes, social and psychological changes also influence the occurrence of a depressive state.
Main reasons
It is not only possible to fight this condition, but it is necessary. Better yet, prevent signs of postpartum depression and prevent the development of serious mental disorders. Not all women who have given birth are susceptible to this condition: someone was able to survive it very quickly and now enjoys every new day with the child, while others experience daily bouts of irritability and anger, as a result, it even comes to divorce. Why is this happening? To prevent the development of depression, it is important to know its causes and try to avoid them as much as possible. Provoking factors:
- Unwanted or difficult pregnancy.
- Problems with breastfeeding.
- Conflicts with the father of the child (treason, quarrels, scandals, parting).
- An upset nervous system even before the baby is born.
- Excessive physical activity.
- Financial problems.
- Lack of basic outside help.
- Unjustified expectations.
Of course, not all reasons depend on the woman. Often they are dictated by social and living conditions. However, the emotional state of a young mother directly depends on her thoughts and daily mood, on her attitude to life and others. That is why psychologists strongly recommend reducing all negative emotions to a minimum.
Symptoms
How does postpartum depression manifest itself? How to understand that you have this particular problem, and not another disease? After all, this can be the most common fatigue from accumulated cases, which often goes away on its own. Experts identify a number of signs that indicate a depressive postpartum state. When they appear, you should immediately consult a doctor. Only a specialist can confirm the presence of such a problem as postpartum depression.
- Symptom No. 1. Regular complaints of a woman about suffering from loneliness and excessive fatigue. In addition, mommy may experience tearfulness, sudden mood swings, uncontrollable outbursts of anger. Already, relatives and friends should sound the alarm, because this is how postpartum depression begins.
- Symptom number 2. about the condition and health of the newborn. Very often in a woman it occurs as a result of the most insignificant failure. There may also be suicidal thoughts, a gloomy vision of the future.
- Symptom No. 3. Provoking conflict situations, daily tantrums, grumpiness. Relatives and friends, as a rule, are not aware of the main reasons for this behavior of a young mother. However, it is precisely this that indicates that postpartum depression is taking place.
- Symptom No. 4. Feeling of panic and anxiety, accompanied by a strong heartbeat, loss of appetite, regular headaches, insomnia. Sometimes a woman has an irresistible desire to commit meaningless, according to others, actions. Simple conversations with a young mother most often end in serious scandals.
It is these symptoms that accompany depression after childbirth. If you find one or two of the above signs, there is no reason to worry, as it may be commonplace fatigue. If this figure goes off scale, it's time to sound the alarm and immediately seek help from specialists.
Why is it important to recognize the problem early? The thing is that prolonged depression after childbirth, which in some cases can last for months, often ends in psychosis without the intervention of doctors. This state is characterized by confusion of consciousness, delirium, hallucinations, complete inadequacy. Of course, here we can already talk about restricting the mother's access to the baby.
What factors increase the likelihood of developing the disease?
There are several of them, and they all have a different nature:
- Age. The earlier a woman becomes pregnant, the higher the risk.
- Loneliness.
- Lack of psychological support from relatives and friends.
- Ambiguous perception of pregnancy.
- Children. The more children, the higher the chance of depression with each subsequent pregnancy.
Types of postpartum depression
Experts distinguish three types of disorders of this nature, which are formed exclusively after the birth of a child:
- Postpartum blues. Every woman is familiar with this condition, it is a normal reaction of the body to the changes that have occurred. A young mother can change her mood dramatically. Only now she feels the happiest in the world, and after a few minutes she begins to cry. The woman becomes irritable, intolerant, excited. According to experts, postpartum blues can last for several hours or a couple of weeks. This condition does not require specialized treatment, as it most often resolves on its own.
- postpartum depression. Symptoms that characterize this condition most often appear a few days after the birth of the baby. They are similar to the signs of postpartum blues (sadness, despair, irritability, anxiety), but they are manifested to a greater extent. During this period, a woman, as a rule, cannot perform the daily duties assigned to her. When this happens, you should immediately seek help from a psychologist. Despite the complexity of this disease, postpartum depression is highly treatable. Moreover, modern medicine offers a variety of solutions to this problem, so that every woman can choose the most suitable option for herself.
- Postpartum psychosis is the most serious mental illness diagnosed in new mothers. The disease appears unexpectedly and develops rapidly (during the first three months from the moment of birth). Initially, a woman loses her usual ability to distinguish the real world from the imagined one, and sound hallucinations occur. Other symptoms include insomnia, constant agitation, anger at the world. When primary signs it is extremely important to seek help from a qualified doctor. In some cases, even hospitalization is required, as there is a risk of harm not only directly to yourself, but also to the newborn.
When does postpartum depression start and how long does it last?
Postpartum depression is considered a more serious problem than the usual blues. If young mothers who have overcome the blues have already managed to cope with all the difficulties and experience the joy of caring for a baby, then women with postpartum depression feel more and more unhappy and exhausted every day.
Sometimes a lady, even before the baby is born, struggles with a depressive state, and childbirth only exacerbates the previously existing problem.
In some cases, the symptoms of this mental illness appear months after the birth of the baby. Initially, a young mother experiences exceptionally positive emotions and pleasure from communicating with a child, but after a certain period of time, all these chores begin to wear out, and the woman herself feels unhappy and depressed.
How long does postpartum depression last? It depends not only on the mother herself, but also on her environment. Very often, a woman is in no hurry to seek qualified help from a psychologist, believing that the problem will be solved by itself. Sometimes the fair sex is simply afraid to seek support because of complete disappointment in themselves and constant concern for the health of the child.
Of course, this attitude only exacerbates the situation. Don't be afraid to ask for help. First of all, psychologists recommend talking with loved ones, talking about all the anxieties. If they agree to take on some of the household chores, mom will have time to rest and even consult with specialists.
What should be the treatment?
How to get rid of postpartum depression? It is this question that is most often asked by relatives and friends of women who had to face this problem. First of all, you should seek qualified help. Trying to help a young mother on her own is not recommended, since in some cases medications and psychological consultations are required. Self-medication can only aggravate the current situation, which will entail the development of postpartum psychosis.
Depending on the type and complexity, depression is treated either on an outpatient basis or in an inpatient setting. The decision on the latter option is made solely on the basis of identifying the risk of suicidal tendencies and the severity of the general condition. Modern medicine offers several methods of treatment:
As a rule, the use of the above drugs implies a complete rejection of breastfeeding, as these drugs can harm the baby. It is important to note that any medication should be taken only after consulting a doctor. When the postpartum depression passes, the drugs are gradually canceled, and the woman returns to her usual life.
What should a husband do?
Psychologists recommend that relatives and friends help young mothers who are faced with such a problem as postpartum depression. The causes of this disease, as you know, often lie in the lack of rest. A husband can help his wife by taking on a number of household responsibilities to meet the physical needs of the newborn. It is no secret that this kind of disorder is less often diagnosed in those couples where the husbands initially took an active part in common family affairs.
An invaluable support for a woman is also the fact that her husband is ready to listen to all her experiences and worries, to cheer her up. It is recommended to avoid sharp criticism and condemnation.
Complications
Unpleasant consequences include the following:
- Protracted depression (more than one year).
- Suicide attempts.
In addition to complications of a medical nature, quite serious social consequences are possible. First of all, this is the breakdown of the family. Indeed, constant changes in the mood of a woman, dissatisfaction own life, increased irritability - all these factors often push both spouses to divorce. In addition, some women in a fit of desperation decide to abandon the child. As a rule, this kind of situation is common among single mothers.
Prevention
How to avoid postpartum depression? The exact causes of occurrence given state still remain unexplored. That is why experts cannot offer effective measures for its prevention.
However, psychologists call a number of activities that, to one degree or another, help reduce the likelihood of depression:
Conclusion
In this article, we talked about what constitutes postpartum depression in women. The symptoms and causes of this condition may vary from case to case. It is important to remember that depression is primarily a rather serious illness. The young mother herself is not to blame for the fact that she has to suffer so much. That is why a woman cannot simply pull herself together and cope with the problem. After all, not a single person can overcome the flu with an effort of will, diabetes or a heart attack.
On the other hand, the attention of a husband and relatives helps a woman feel truly loved. She'll be much easier to find free time for recreation or hobby. This kind of care contributes to the rapid recovery of the young mother and her return to the family.
The birth of a child is always a joyful event: after all, the long-awaited child is finally born. It would seem, what can sadden a young family? And it turns out it can. After all, in about 1 case out of 10, some degree of depression develops after childbirth.
Pregnancy and childbirth are a time of significant physiological and psycho-emotional changes for any woman. The early postnatal, or postpartum, period (the first days of a child's life after birth) is a time of testing for a young mother, which is characterized by many changes. During pregnancy and after childbirth, the level of hormones in a woman's body changes dramatically, the values of hormones fluctuate widely. Women experience severe mood swings, and sometimes a mild degree of depression can develop, which lasts for several days. Approximately 10% of women experience more prolonged depressive states. As a rule, most depressive conditions appear 4-6 weeks after childbirth. Fortunately, severe depression with suicidal thoughts and symptoms of postpartum psychosis is rare.
Not all women suffer from postpartum depression. In general, women who have the following risk factors are more likely to develop this condition:
- the presence in the past of mental illness, especially depressive conditions;
- mood swings during pregnancy;
- Relationship problems in the family;
- lack of support from the husband;
- negative sad events in the recent past.
Less significant risk factors include:
— low family income;
- complicated childbirth;
- severe depression after a previous birth;
- physical abnormalities in the child.
The symptoms of depression are well known to many. Postpartum depression has the same symptoms:
- apathy, indifference;
- anxiety, restlessness, nervousness;
— Bad mood, its drops;
- causeless irritability, tearfulness, resentment;
- decreased concentration, loss of interest in previously favorite activities.
Severe depression may be accompanied by aggressive behavior towards a child, husband, other family members - in this case, the help of a psychiatrist is required. Sometimes even hospitalization and treatment in a hospital setting is required.
To diagnose postpartum depression, unfortunately, there are no reliable tests based on the available clinical signs. Scientists have proposed different ways to recognize this condition by hormone levels, but it turned out that, despite the change in hormonal levels after childbirth, the hormonal profile of women with depression does not differ from that of women without depression. However, studies show that the risk of developing depression is higher in women with thyroid disease.
Most often, postpartum depression lasts for several months. In very severe cases, treatment is carried out by a psychiatrist.
Effectively apply the following ways to deal with postpartum depression:
– psychological consultations at home;
— cognitive behavioral therapy aimed at behavioral processes;
- psychotherapy.
Most women manage depression on their own or with home treatment. The help of a psychologist is very effective in treating mild to moderate depression. In more severe cases, drug therapy is usually required. Most often, antidepressants of different groups are prescribed. They start working after a few weeks. Long-term treatment may be required for complete recovery. Tranquilizers are used in the treatment of depression, in which psychosis develops.
When prescribing drug therapy, a dilemma often arises: breastfeed or treat depression? The fact is that many drugs for the treatment of depression are undesirable to use during lactation. In this case, you have to make an extremely responsible decision. It is very important to balance the benefits of drug therapy for the mother against the possible risk to the child, i.e. if drugs should have more benefit than risk.
Since fluctuations in hormone levels are observed in the postpartum period, progesterone and estrogens have been proposed for the treatment of depression. To date, there is no reliable data on the effectiveness of hormonal drugs.
Most women recover without treatment in about 3 to 6 weeks. In 10% of new mothers, symptoms of postpartum depression persist for a year, and in rare cases, depression can become chronic. In addition, unfortunately, depression can return with repeated pregnancies.
Prevention methods
The timely identification of risk groups and the implementation of preventive measures can reduce the incidence of postpartum depression.
- Recognizing symptoms. Prenatal preparation of a woman is essential. During the prenatal preparation of a woman, it is important to discuss the emotional aspects of parenthood, to explain that postpartum depression is a temporary phenomenon. It is necessary to recognize the symptoms in time and reduce the feelings of guilt and anxiety associated with them. Prenatal classes also include support for single women.
- Depression in pregnancy. If depression occurs during pregnancy, then psychotherapy can be used effectively. Antidepressants are used only if there are contraindications. Currently, there is a group of antidepressants - selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors - that do not cause fetal abnormalities. In the process of childbirth and in the first weeks after them, the emotional support of loved ones is important for a woman.
What is postpartum depression, and how to deal with it, every 2 woman who has given birth to a child knows. Previously, this term was almost never used. The condition of a young mother after childbirth was assessed solely on specific physical signs. Doctors were interested in uterine contraction and healing of sutures. Few people were interested in the psychological aspects of the new state. But that doesn't mean they didn't exist.
The state system some 60-70 years ago was arranged in such a way that a few months after the birth of a baby, a woman had to give her baby to a nursery and go to work. In addition to the service, sometimes physically difficult, the young mother also had all the household duties.
Laundry, cleaning, ironing and cooking took much more energy from our grandmothers, because at that time there were not so many household appliances, ready-made grocery sets and disposable diapers.
For postpartum depression, women of the last century simply did not have time. However, this did not cancel the borderline state that a young mother could experience in connection with the new responsibility and increased responsibilities entrusted to her. It's just that the representatives of the weaker sex were forced to become strong, not knowing what postpartum depression could lead to, and how to deal with it.
How did you deal with the problem in the past?
Each family learned to deal with difficulties in their own way. Older relatives played a big role in this difficult period. If the relationship in the house was warm and trusting, then the new mother was helped to get out of postpartum depression as soon as possible. Of no small importance was the attention, care and help from her husband.
When all family members were exclusively busy with their own business as usual, believing that a woman who had just returned from the hospital with a baby in her arms should fulfill her direct duties without the help of others, the young mother had to look for ways to cope with postpartum depression on her own, and often experience it alone.
This often led to severe psychological problems, which resulted in discord in the family. Psychosomatic illnesses became a frequent consequence of a difficult moral state. But in those years, rarely did anyone suggest that the cause was prolonged depression after pregnancy and childbirth.
Attitude towards postpartum syndrome today
AT modern society much has changed in relation to the woman who gave birth, and in medical practice. Aspects of the psychological state of the fairer sex are trying to pay more attention. However, despite the growing number of specialized trainings and seminars that are held with expectant mothers in family planning centers and antenatal clinics, postpartum depression, called depression, is becoming more common.
It may manifest itself in different ways. Someone experiences this in a mild form and finds ways to overcome their condition. Others prefer to wait a bit until the pronounced manifestation of postpartum depression passes.
Only a few are able to assume that they are exposed to a serious illness that can cause irreparable harm to the health of not only the mother, but also the child, especially if depression drags on after childbirth. In these cases, self-medication or self-discipline will not help. The processes occurring in the body of a woman who has recently given birth are difficult to control by willpower. In difficult cases, you should not force the patient to look for a way to get rid of postpartum depression on their own, but timely professional help should be provided.
Do not underestimate this disease. Protracted depression in itself is qualified by psychologists as a rather dangerous phenomenon. In some cases, it does not go away without medical attention. Postpartum depression in women is characterized not only by emotional problems. The whole body is experiencing severe stress, which affects the nervous and other systems of internal organs.
Doctors do not have an exact answer to the question of how long this condition can last. This is individual in each case. But the fact that a woman needs help to recover from depression that has dragged on for too long is the consensus of doctors. And in this struggle, a young mother cannot do without male support and care from loved ones.
Difficulties in making a diagnosis
The main difficulty in helping a woman through a difficult period is how to recognize postpartum depression. The fact is that during pregnancy and especially before the immediate birth of a child, the body is rebuilt. Produced a large number of certain hormones that are specially created by nature in order to future mom mentally and physically prepared for childbirth.
However, natural regulatory mechanisms nervous system not enough. Every woman before the birth of a baby experiences a lot of stress. It is explained by physical fatigue and fear of the upcoming important event, which is accompanied not only by the joy of meeting with the child, but also by severe physical pain.
During this period, a woman develops excessive anxiety, mood swings, tearfulness, and sometimes sleep disorders occur. However, the stress before childbirth, which happens to all expectant mothers, does not mean that they all become depressed.
Manifested anxiety does not go away immediately after the birth of a child, it is a natural manifestation of the acceptance of a new status. But this state should not last long. Psychologists and obstetricians say that stress goes away after 3-4 weeks, sometimes after 2-3 months.
This time is enough for the mother to learn how to confidently care for the baby and find with him mutual language and adapted to her new status in the family. Usually, stress does not require consultation with the attending physician and, under favorable conditions, passes quickly and easily.
Everything is much more complicated when postpartum depression begins, the causes of which lie not only in the hormonal changes in the body.
What is postpartum depression?
Hundreds of thousands of women immediately after the birth of a child experience unprecedented joy and a surge of strength. But after a couple of hours, a strange feeling creeps into the soul, as if struggling with all positive emotions.
A young mother begins to feel deadly tired, her mood drops, irritability and anxiety increase. The puerperal cannot find the strength in herself for elementary physical actions. These are the first signs of postpartum depression, which is described as an atypical psychological and physical condition, expressed in a certain complex of negative emotional messages and a decrease in activity in general.
Approximately 20% of women suffer from postpartum depression, and only 2-3% receive treatment. At the same time, about 80-90% of young mothers have a mild and moderate form of the disease. In most cases, they manage to suppress its manifestations on their own or with the help of close people who are able to suggest how to cope with depression and what to do to restore harmony in the soul and head.
Doctors cannot accurately answer the question of why postpartum depression occurs. Previously, medicine attributed everything exclusively to the physiological processes occurring in the body of a woman. Science has long known how to treat hormonal disruptions. However, such therapy does not always bring positive results.
Even if we struggle with barely beginning signs of an unstable psychological and physical state with the help of exclusively medicines aimed at restoring the balance of hormones in the body, the patient may continue to feel fear, fatigue and be in a depressed state.
After observing dozens of families who have recently become parents, experts have come to the conclusion that this problem concerns not only women. There are documented cases when postpartum depression is diagnosed in men. This proves that such a condition cannot be caused only by hormonal disorders in the body. The causes of postpartum depression are much more complex than normal physiology.
What is the impetus for an atypical perception of reality?
The birth of a child radically changes the life of a young couple. Especially if the first-born appears in the family, many familiar things become inaccessible to spouses for some time. As a rule, it is impossible to fully prepare for what awaits newly-made parents. After all, every child is different.
Even when a woman in theory studies what postpartum depression is, its symptoms, and how to deal with this condition, in reality, events can occur that can destroy a positive attitude.
In addition to chronic lack of sleep, the notorious hormonal background and general physical fatigue, and sometimes health problems that arose during pregnancy and childbirth, a woman is forced to rebuild her entire daily schedule. Some ladies find this difficult to deal with. When grandmothers or other relatives do not help young parents, the young mother is not only responsible for caring for the baby, but also all the housework, which becomes more with the advent of a new family member.
Various fears associated with raising a child are added to physical fatigue. Often, a newly-made mother cannot immediately find mutual understanding with the baby, adequately respond to his needs, and correctly perform certain manipulations that require the care of the baby.
In some families, after a woman goes on parental leave, the standard of living is greatly reduced. Expenses are rising and incomes are falling. Financial difficulties have a great influence on the general psychological state of the mother and other family members.
Often, after the appearance of the baby, relations between spouses deteriorate. On the one hand, a woman constantly does not get enough sleep and often experiences a lot of pressure from others, to whom she seeks to prove that she is coping well with new responsibilities.
In addition, it changes externally and, as a rule, not for the better. To get in shape female body it takes several months. After childbirth, the vast majority of the fairer sex decreases libido. If there were surgical interventions or trauma during childbirth, restoration of sexual activity may occur after an indefinite amount of time.
On the other hand, against this background, a man who is entrusted with double responsibility for the material well-being of the family does not receive the amount of attention that he could count on before. Absence intimacy and changes in lifestyle sometimes contribute to increased excitability and even aggressiveness of the spouse.
As a result, conflicts and mutual disappointment occur in a couple, because each of the partners is waiting for help and advice from the other on how to survive postpartum depression. And not finding support in a loved one, he feels anger and becomes even more isolated in himself. It is almost impossible to cure this severe psychophysical condition without the participation of loved ones. After all, the atmosphere in the house plays a huge role in the adequate perception of each family member of himself in a new status.
If a woman belongs to a certain psychotype of personality, prone to mood swings, suspiciousness and isolation, then there is a high probability that the birth of a baby and the difficulties associated with it will only exacerbate these manifestations.
Signs of postpartum depression
Like any other disease, the acute psychological state of a woman after childbirth has a number of features that manifest themselves to varying degrees. Symptoms of postpartum depression usually develop between the 2nd and 6th months of a child's life.
However, these indicators can be individual and depend on the general health of the mother, including mental health, as well as the social conditions in which she is. Experts say that a woman needs about the same time to restore physical and moral balance as it takes to bear a child. This is the classic answer to the question of how long postpartum depression lasts.
The peak of its manifestations falls in the middle of the 9-month period after the birth of the baby. During this time period, the signs of a psycho-physical disorder are no longer regarded as manifestations of ordinary stress. Behavioral changes in a young mother can be classified as symptoms of postpartum disorder. They are usually divided into classic and additional. The diagnosis is confirmed if the young mother has at least 2 main and up to 4 indirect symptoms.
The classic signs of depression are conventionally divided into 3 groups:
- General depression. For several days, the woman's mood does not change. She is sad for no reason. Tearfulness and irritability are often observed.
- Lack of interest in activities that used to bring pleasure. Unwillingness to do what you love, even if you have free time. state of apathy.
- Physical lethargy, slowness in movements, sometimes stupor. Indifference to everything that happens around.
Among the additional signals about the development of postpartum depressive syndrome, experts distinguish the following manifestations:
- guilt complex;
- low self-esteem;
- inability to make decisions;
- fears for the health of loved ones, turning into phobias;
- pessimistic perception of the surrounding reality;
- thoughts or actions that could harm yourself or your child;
- suicide attempts.
Even a person without a medical education is clear that in the last 2 cases the situation has gone too far, and the mother needs urgent help from specialists who can suggest a way to get out of depression and prescribe adequate treatment.
But even the presence of a few classic symptoms in a woman suggests that she needs special support and care. After all, if postpartum depression begins, how long this condition lasts largely depends on the atmosphere in the family.
What is the danger of a depressive state of a woman who has given birth?
Any pathological psychophysical state of a person can be dangerous for himself and those around him. Loss of control over one's own emotions and actions sometimes leads to tragic events.
Today, there are many examples of how postpartum depression manifests itself. Everyone knows egregious cases when distraught mothers committed suicide after killing their children. Not always in the anamnesis of these women there were mental illnesses that worsened during pregnancy and childbirth.
Some of the victims were driven to extreme despair by domestic and material difficulties, which were superimposed on hormonal imbalances and physical fatigue. This combination often leads to a temporary clouding of the mind, as a result of which a person is not aware of what is happening and cannot adequately assess the consequences of his actions.
At such moments, it is very important that there is someone next to the young mother who will tell you how to cope with postpartum depression and lend a helping hand. After all, even if a woman does not go to extremes, her depressed state has a negative impact on the development and health of the child.
In infancy, the psychological bonds with the mother are especially strong. If a main man in the life of a baby all the time he feels irritation and disappointment from his presence, then the child becomes nervous and capricious. His sleep is disturbed, his appetite may disappear. The baby will cling to the mother. Require increased attention, which in conditions of an unstable nervous state of a woman will only aggravate the situation.
Children whose mothers did not find a remedy in time to overcome postpartum depression lag behind their peers in psychoverbal, physical and emotional development, in the future they get sick more often, which is also explained by psychosomatic reasons.
The general negative impact of the pathological syndrome on the health of mother and baby, as well as the situation in the family, should be minimized by the joint efforts of all its members. A universal remedy for how not to fall into postpartum depression has not yet been invented. But a number of measures to prevent it can be taken even at the stage of planning a child and during pregnancy.
How to prevent depression?
Prevention of postpartum depression is one of the best practices if not to guarantee the absence of this syndrome, then at least to minimize its depth and negative consequences. Even at the stage of planning a child, a couple should familiarize themselves with various specific psychological aspects that will inevitably arise in their lives after the birth of the baby.
Responsible parenthood means serious work on yourself. It is better for spouses to organize a joint consultation with a psychologist. A specialist can explain in an accessible and gentle way how to smooth out friction in a relationship, how to avoid postpartum depression.
AT last years at antenatal clinics, they increasingly began to organize courses for pregnant women and expectant mothers, where all the issues that concern a woman are analyzed in detail, from preparing for childbirth and the features of the very process of the birth of a child, to caring for a baby and building relationships with her husband in new conditions.
The spouse should also receive at least basic knowledge on how to deal with postpartum depression. The support and love of a partner are simply necessary for a young mother. Sometimes this is enough to defeat the disease.
It is desirable that other relatives help new parents. If the spouses have time to be alone, then the relationship in a couple will become stronger. In addition, a woman simply needs to have free time when she can escape from everyday routine activities and take up her hobby or clean herself up.
What can a woman do in the fight against depression?
A new mother should know several ways to beat postpartum depression. Healthy sleep is the key to good mood and well-being. Therefore, it is necessary to minimize daily chores around the house.
Food can be cooked for a week or special preparations and semi-finished products can be made on the weekend, when the spouse takes care of the child. Cleaning also does not have to be done daily, it is enough to wipe the dust in the nursery, but this takes quite a bit of time.
Daytime baby sleep is best used for relaxation. During these hours, mom can read a book, get a manicure, watch a movie. If at night the child behaves uneasily, then during the day it is advisable to sleep with him.
At least a few times a month, you need to leave the baby with dad for a couple of hours to go for a walk or go shopping. A change of scenery is a good way to take your mind off the routine. As for material problems that cause a lot of fear among young mothers, then at the planning stage, you should set aside funds, if possible, in order to create a financial cushion for the family during this happy but difficult period.
In the most difficult moments, you need to remind yourself that all difficulties are temporary, and for the baby, the mother is the whole world, he feels unconditional and all-encompassing love for her. The realization that someone accepts her for who she is and is in dire need of her care gives new strength to a young mother.
But this happens when a woman has a mild form of the disease. Psychologist's consultation, rest, healthy sleep and care of loved ones - that works flawlessly in this case. If the pathological condition has dragged on for a year or more, or takes forms dangerous to the health of the mother and child, then the intervention of a psychiatrist is indispensable.
Treatment of postpartum depression in such situations is carried out with the help of individually selected drugs until a positive result is achieved.
Many women in the first days after the birth of a child experience a feeling of anxiety, irritability, depression and apathy. Sudden mood swings, causeless tearfulness, increased vulnerability, fear of being unable to take care of the baby - all these are signs of the so-called postpartum melancholy. This is a natural response to stress.
It takes time to adapt. And as soon as a woman gets used to new worries and daily routine, her emotional background will normalize. As a rule, this condition resolves on its own within a few days and does not require special treatment.
Take a depression test before you continue reading. -Ed.
The support and help of relatives will help the newly-made mother to survive this difficult period. If a woman is depressed for a long time; indifference to the world around is replaced by a strong sense of guilt and deep despair, it is necessary to pay attention to painful experiences in time. These can all point to postpartum depression.
Depression, unlike postpartum melancholy, is a severe emotional disorder and requires mandatory treatment. It is possible to cope with it only with the help of specialists.
Symptoms of postpartum depression
Depressed mood, irritability, guilt and causeless tears. A feeling of deep sadness and despair. Apathy and indifference to the outside world. Constant anxiety, fears, panic attacks. Decline in strength and inability to take care of yourself and the child. Violation of sleep and appetite, lack of sexual desire.With depression, the woman's condition only worsens every day. The world appears gray and bleak. Lack of meaning in life and hope for the future are serious signs of postpartum depression.
The woman feels abandoned, left alone with her painful experiences and the child. Loneliness and social isolation only exacerbate the course of depression.
Losing control over your emotions makes you feel helpless. An all-consuming feeling of powerlessness interferes with caring for the baby and doing household chores. An endless sense of guilt was now a constant companion. Being in the grip of despair and feeling like a “bad” mother, a woman is unable to give emotional warmth to her child. Warmth, which is vital for him. After all, the period of infancy is an important stage in the formation of the psyche of the baby.
Effects of maternal postpartum depression on infants
Maternal depression is an obstacle to the formation of emotional closeness, which is vital for an infant. Alienation, emotional detachment of the mother traumatizes the baby.The lack of maternal love, affection and warmth can lead to serious mental disorders of the child. The emotional connection between mother and child gives him a sense of security, and the absence of this connection is always a tragedy for the baby.
Depression prevents a mother from feeling and emotionally responding to her child's wants and needs. He feels rejected and unnecessary when he is left alone with his fears and anxieties. Such isolation in the future can lead to serious personality disorders - pathological self-doubt, increased anxiety, fears and phobias, depressive disorders, difficulties in establishing close relationships, etc.
Causes of postpartum depression
Unwanted pregnancy, difficult childbirth, diseases of a woman or a newborn can lead to depressing emotional experiences and, as a result, to depression. And if complications after childbirth and the baby’s illness are an understandable cause of a depressive state, then what about a situation where, it would seem, nothing should overshadow the happiness of motherhood? Unfortunately, a successful birth and a long-awaited baby are not able to protect a woman from postpartum depression.The life of a woman in connection with the birth of a child changes radically. And no matter how she prepares to become a mother, such changes are difficult to come to terms with. It is hard to accept that life now belongs entirely to the child. There is a strong internal conflict between the desire to be a good mother and their own desires and needs.
As a rule, women expect that maternal love, with which they will be overwhelmed immediately after the birth of a child, will solve the problems of adapting to new conditions. But it takes time to establish emotional contact with the baby.
A woman experiences disappointment, which flows into a sense of guilt and shame for the inability to find affection for the baby in herself. And while the child is felt as "alien", the woman is tormented by remorse and feels like a bad mother.
Depressive state or other emotional disorders of a woman before pregnancy can also cause postpartum depression. Excessive vulnerability, increased anxiety and self-doubt, instability of the nervous system make a woman vulnerable to depressive disorders.
Pregnancy and childbirth, being a strong stress, exhaust the already vulnerable psyche, which can lead to serious consequences. Therefore, the emotional well-being of a woman is the key to a happy motherhood.
Treatment for postpartum depression
Many women feel guilty about their condition. Relatives aggravate the situation, accusing her of pretense and urging the young mother to pull herself together. But depression is serious disease and needs expert help.Featured on the site: How to avoid postpartum depression (ed. note)
Timely help from a psychologist will help get rid of painful experiences, understand the causes of emotional distress and cope with depression. In a particularly serious condition, a woman needs the supervision of a psychiatrist and the use of antidepressants.
Expecting a baby and the day of birth are very crucial moments in the life of every mom. And finally, a little angel appears, such a long-awaited, beloved! Then the chores around the house begin. However, over time, a woman may feel very tired and apathetic, especially if there is no support nearby, and she has to do all the work on her own. That's when the question arises: "How to cope with postpartum depression and return to normal life?"
- How long does postpartum depression normally last?
- How depression manifests itself after childbirth and when it happens
- Postpartum depression: causes
- How to get rid of postpartum depression without a doctor
- Postpartum depression in men: is it possible?
- What to do if depression after childbirth dragged on
- Psychologist's advice on how not to fall into postpartum depression
How long does postpartum depression normally last?
It must be said right away that not all women feel this malaise, for the majority such a condition does not occur at all. Those mothers who are less fortunate, some time after giving birth, begin to feel growing anxiety and tension. Sometimes it happens that such a condition begins even during gestation, and after delivery the condition worsens even more.
Most often, the symptoms of depression do not appear immediately, but several months or weeks after the appearance of the baby in the house. On average, this condition usually accompanies a young mother for about 6 months. This suggests that the woman is suffering from a mild form of depression. If, however, the mother's health does not improve after six months, then we can talk about a protracted form of this condition, which can last more than a year. In this case, a woman is characterized by frequent nervous breakdowns and a depressed mood.
It is difficult to say exactly when postpartum depression begins, since many factors can influence this condition, the main of which are family relationships with her husband, their character and the general atmosphere at home. In addition, the features of everyday life, the absence or presence of help from relatives, relatives, as well as material wealth are important.
How does postpartum depression manifest itself? And when does it happen?
Depressive symptoms after childbirth do not necessarily occur immediately, and even more so they do not always manifest themselves in a complex way. Sometimes a young mother may experience only one or two symptoms.
Below are the main signs of postpartum depression in women:
- Reluctance to have sex with her husband or even a complete aversion to sexual intercourse.
- Various sleep disorders up to insomnia and disturbing awakening for no reason.
- Constant anxiety, feeling of inexplicable fear, sometimes panic attacks.
- Bad appetite.
- Low self-esteem and a sense of shame about their figure. Strong dissatisfaction with one's own appearance, denial of natural attractiveness.
- The child has ceased to evoke warm feelings, on the contrary, it constantly irritates with its crying.
- The strongest irritability, which can easily develop into a rage.
- Crying for no particular reason.
- Resentment and vulnerability. Sometimes this is accompanied by withdrawal into oneself and unwillingness to communicate with the usual circle of people.
- Criticality, reaching extreme pessimism and even loss of the meaning of life.
- Feelings of loneliness, abandonment and dissatisfaction with one's own actions.
- It suddenly seems to a woman that there is no such person who supports and understands her, the chores of caring for a baby become a burden.
- The advice of relatives is beginning to be perceived as annoying moralizing, which are more and more annoying. This makes a woman protest all the time even when she feels that she is wrong.
Thus, the signs of a depressive state after childbirth can be very different, the main thing is to notice and eliminate them in time. Otherwise, this will lead to the fact that a woman may begin to have problems in communicating with people around her, in severe cases, to thoughts of suicide. First of all, this concerns misunderstandings with her husband, there are even cases when such a condition of a young mother led to divorces. In addition, there is a threat of disruption of ties with relatives.
Postpartum depression: causes that affect it
There are quite a few factors that can contribute to the onset of depressive symptoms. As a rule, this disease mainly affects two categories of women. The first is those women in labor who were already registered with a specialist on the issue of psychological depression caused by other circumstances. The second category of women suffers from a similar illness because of problems with their own mother, with whom she could have had serious conflicts in childhood. However, according to statistics, usually girls who have a baby at a very early age, before the age of 18, usually suffer from depression after childbirth. Let's try to highlight the main reasons for the development of this condition in women:
- Lack of moral and physical support from the spouse, inferiority of family relations.
- heavy financial position, material disadvantage.
- A sharp change in hormonal levels after childbirth, which can be perceived by the body as severe stress.
- Changes in intimate life. Temporary abstinence in effect physiological features women can negatively affect her morale.
- Serious conflict situations, strong feelings about any negative changes in life.
- Temporary disability can be very difficult for a woman to experience, because in this state she sometimes begins to feel helpless and unnecessary.
- The birth of a child with various pathologies or developmental disabilities.
- Forced separation from a newly born baby.
In all these cases, postpartum depression should be treated. Otherwise, the condition of a woman can be significantly aggravated.
How to get rid of postpartum depression? Without a doctor
Usually this disease gradually goes away by itself, however, this can be significantly accelerated. The main thing is to know how. Many books have been written about how to deal with postpartum depression. However, it is not necessary to read them all.
In order to get rid of the manifestations of the disease, there are several simple but effective methods:
- The main thing a mother should focus on is her baby. You need to understand that he is helpless without her participation, and that this is the greatest happiness that fate could give. After realizing this fact, many ordinary things will seem like a trifle, it will become easier to perceive reality.
- To get out of depression as soon as possible, a young mother needs to get enough sleep. So the body will not receive additional stress, and recovery will be faster.
- It is very good if a woman in this difficult period for her finds relaxing activities that she will like. For example, it could be yoga, massage, meditation, or just simply taking a warm bath.
- It is also important not to refuse the help of relatives and friends. Let the husband take over some of the household chores.
To understand how to overcome depression after childbirth on your own, you must first find out the causes of this condition, and only then proceed to treatment.
Postpartum depression in men
Is this possible and why? Yes. Sometimes it is not only the mother who has to deal with depression after childbirth, but also the newly-made father. After all, often the inner mental state of a woman is transmitted to her husband. Most often, the following reasons contribute to the development of this condition in the stronger sex.
For example, a man simply turns out to be not ready for the changes that have taken place in his life. Perhaps reality and expectations are very different. Indeed, with the birth of a baby, responsibilities and roles within the family change greatly, and this is always stressful for both spouses.
Jealousy is another reason why there are depressive states at the husband. The fact is that a woman after the birth of a child can no longer pay as much attention to her husband as before. And now she spends most of her time on the baby, while the husband may feel unnecessary and superfluous because of this.
To make postpartum depression easier for a woman and a man, it is important to know what a husband should do in this situation. The husband during this period should behave in such a way that the wife feels his support all the time. It is important to share the responsibilities of caring for the child and jointly monitor the household. Then the young mother will not feel too tired, and the risk of conflict situations will decrease. If a woman does not want intimacy at this moment, the husband should not be too persistent. Perhaps a woman needs some time to adapt to a new condition.
Depression after childbirth dragged on
It happens that the period of childbirth has long been left behind, and the symptoms of depression still do not go away. And no matter what the young mother does, she cannot avoid these unpleasant sensations. In this case, the symptoms of depression can accompany a woman for more than one year, becoming chronic, and turning into a real illness. It is especially dangerous because it can lead to suicidal attempts or abandonment of your own child. The reasons for this may be serious personal problems or difficulties in the family.
This condition is already considered a deep form of depression, and requires medical examination and treatment. You won't be able to handle it on your own. The support of relatives, close friends and husband is especially important during this period.
Effective tips on how not to fall into postpartum depression
- Despite the fact that a woman has become a mother, she should not forget about her own needs. Be sure to devote at least an hour a day to yourself personally. For example, meet your beloved friend, go shopping, get a manicure, etc.
- Sharing household and child care responsibilities with a husband or close relative.
- A young mother should also carefully monitor her appearance. A pleasant reflection in the mirror will cheer you up!
- Walking in the fresh air is another important “medicine”.
- Proper diet and sleep.
If you feel that you are unable to get rid of the symptoms, then you need to contact a psychologist, undergo a rehabilitation course.
Thus, it is not difficult to overcome postpartum depression, the main thing is to know the main causes of its occurrence and effective methods for getting out of it.