Postpartum Depression Explained

Postpartum Depression has been a trending topic in recent years. With celebrities like Chrissy Teigen and Hayden Panettiere opening up with their struggles, more people have been comfortable coming forward with their own postpartum depression stories.

Almost every new mom feels the baby blues. Being a parent to a newborn is stressful and getting enough sleep is near impossible. It’s a strain both physically and emotionally. But when the baby blues linger for weeks and the emotional strain starts to impact a new mother’s quality of life it becomes something else, postpartum depression.

What is postpartum depression?

Postpartum depression is depression that can start during or any time up to a year after the birth of a child. It mostly affects new mothers that have just given birth but both fathers and adoptive parents have been noted to feel it before. Postpartum isn’t that different from other types of depression. It makes one feel down and alone. Mood swings, from happy to sad, are common.

It’s hard to tell if postpartum depression is on the rise or if it is now simply being recognized as a mental illness more serious than the standard baby blues. Some estimate that 0.5% to 61% of women will experience depression after delivering a child. Untreated postpartum depression is one of the leading causes of the murder of children under one year of age.

Signs of postpartum depression

Symptoms of postpartum depression are similar to other forms of depression. Signs may be sadness, low energy, and changes in eating and sleeping habits, anxiety, or crying episodes.

Postpartum does differ from other forms of depression, though. Parents with postpartum often feel like they’re “bad parents”. Not connecting or having an interest in the child is also a common sign of postpartum. This interference with the maternal-infant bonding should be fixed as soon as possible as it can affect the child’s development.

Causes of postpartum

The exact cause of postpartum depression still isn’t known. Most evidence suggests that hormonal changes experienced during pregnancy and birth play a role. It is known that mother’s that experience postpartum during one pregnancy are more likely to experience it in a later one.

 

Postpartum depression can make one feel isolated, but you’re not alone if you suffer from it. Thousands of women every day are going through the same struggles. Even celebrities have trouble with postpartum. Here are a few celebrities that have opened up about their own struggles:

•    Chrissy Teigen
•    Adele
•    Hayden Panettiere
•    Celine Dion
•    Gwyneth Paltrow
•    Britney Spears

What To Do

The best thing to do if you are feeling depressed, sad, isolated, or distant is to get help. Even if you think it might be the standard baby blues you should still reach out to a mental health profession. Having postpartum doesn’t make you a bad parent. Getting professional help will only benefit you, your family, and your new baby. Contact us today for more information about postpartum depression treatment.

Dr. Raul J. Rodriguez

Dr. Raul Rodriguez

DABPN, DABAM, MRO

Existing patients, please text 561-409-7296 for follow-up appointment requests or if you have medication concerns please text 561-409-7296.

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