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Postpartum depression – how to fight it? Insider tips for women

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What is postpartum depression?

Postpartum depression is one of the forms of depressive disorders, which affects women after the birth of the child. You can also come across the term "postnatal depression". It affects both the mother and child. Despite the skeptical attitude of many people to such mental disorders, they are quite serious and require skilled care. Developed depression during the first months after the last birth.

According to statistics from it affects up to 13% of all women in the postpartum period. Most often, postpartum depression occurs in women who suffer from depressive disorders informed. They account for up to 50% of all episodes. Studies conducted in this field indicate that mild forms of depression after birth, affects up to 70% of all women.


The causes of postpartum depression

Among the risk factors that lead to the development of postpartum depression in women are the following:

  • Heredity. If the mother women who have experienced a similar condition after its occurrence on light, it's possible to react to very stressful situations in a similar way to be the woman herself;
  • The hormonal changes in the body. During gestation, each woman's levels of hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, increases several dozen times. When a newborn is born, the concentration of these hormones begins to decline sharply. During the first three days they return to normal levels. These races can have a negative impact on the psychological condition of women. Moreover, recent studies indicate that there is a relationship between depression arising after childbirth, and the level of the hormone prolactin. He immediately after the child falls sharply, and then, for several weeks, is improving;

  • Affect the psychological state of the woman and the hormones produced by the adrenal glands, namely cortisol and aldosterone. Fluctuations in their levels in the blood are reflected in the emergence of depressive disorders. Moreover, it was found: the more specific women the symptoms of PMS, the stronger depression after the birth;

  • Stress. The excitement that a woman experiences after having a child associated with an increase of her workload, could not affect her emotional state. In addition, disturbed sleep, he becomes restless and short, there is physical fatigue, which also leads to exacerbate the problem;
  • Predisposition to depressive disorders. In this case we are talking about the propensity of women to such conditions. That is, if depression has taken place before birth, it is more likely to arise after them. Tend to get depressed women will suffer from it, and after the second and after the third birth;
  • Disadvantaged social status and low wealth are aggravating factors. This can be attributed to unemployment, lack their own housing or poor housing conditions;

  • Premature birth or illness of a child can lead to feelings of guilt, which often transformirovalsya depressed;

  • Psychological problems in marriage;

  • Premature discharge from the hospital, when the woman is still not fully got to grips with the new role did not gain the necessary knowledge and skills to care for a baby;
  • A stressful situation that occurred during pregnancy, for example, the death of relatives, change of residence etc.;

  • The beginning of the lactation period and associated with this process pain and lack of sleep. Depression can cause stagnation of milk, lactation crises, the inability to breastfeeding;

  • The character of the women. Often this trait as selfishness, leads to the formation of the problem;

  • Changes in the appearance. Increase in body weight, development of stretch marks, age spots, lack of time for self-care – all of which can have a negative impact on the status of women;

  • Violations of sexual relations with a partner. Fatigue, the inability or unwillingness to engage in intimacy, decreased libido, aversion to sex are predisposing factors of depression;

  • The presence of harmful habits in particularalcoholism and drug addiction, as the woman and her husband;

  • The presence birth to female mental illness;

  • The negative experience of a previous pregnancy.

All these reasons can lead to the development of postpartum depression. However, the question of the starting factors in formation of problems so far medical science remains open.


The symptoms of postpartum depression

That women are developing or have already formed postnatal pregnancy, according to the following symptoms:

  • The woman begins to experience a nagging feeling of depression. She is unable to cope with this depressing feeling, which is especially aggravated in the evening or the morning (sometimes it appears in the morning and evening);

  • Often in my head thoughts about the lack of meaning of life;

  • May begin to form a guilt complex, especially if the child has any health problems;
  • Increases irritability, which is manifested in the form of aggression aimed at all family members (most often, these manifestations of suffering the husband and older children);
  • The absent mindedness, the inability to concentrate on one lesson is the most important symptom most of the signs of postpartum depression;
  • Increased emotional sensitivity. It is expressed in the excessive whining that appears when the most seemingly insignificant reasons. In light of the fact that a woman is experiencing emotional exhaustion, there is a lack of energy;

  • The impossibility of recreation, so as to overwhelm the woman's feelings do not allow her to sleep. Therefore, insomnia is a characteristic symptom of postpartum depression;

  • Anhedonia, or the inability to enjoy any joyful moments of life. Accompanied by a reluctance to laugh at jokes, dullness, depression and apathy;
  • Excessive concern over the health of the born child. Mothers with postpartum depression are frequent visitors to pediatricians and children's doctors with a more narrow specialty;

  • Fears for their health. The woman begins to search and finds signs of a terrible disease. Against this background begins to develop hypochondria, which is accompanied by frequentcomplaints on their health, the perception of any normal sensations as signs of disease, a belief in the existence of one or the other disease;

  • Sometimes happens so that a woman stops worrying about the baby, moreover, has for him the feeling of rejection and hostility. Such a condition may lead to the fact that the woman convinces herself that the child is not her own, and switched at the maternity home;

  • There is frequent change of mood, from cheerful smiling woman, a young mother with depression may be a minute to turn into a sobbing hysterical;

  • Often women who have fallen into depression, see at memory lapses;

  • On the background of developing postpartum depression may experience functional disorders such as disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, the appearance of headaches. From the physical manifestations of depression can also produce unpleasant sensations in joints, muscles, back, frequent dizziness;

  • Women may lose desire to eat, against this background, starts uncontrolled weight loss;
  • Changing gait and speech. Most often, they are accelerated, although in rare cases, there may be sluggishness and lethargy.

When depression worsens it may develop into psychosis, which often have thoughts about how to harm yourself, or even a child.


How long does postpartum depression?

Depressive disorder after childbirth is not considered a severe mental illness. However time period immediately after birth is the greatest danger in terms of the beginning of the development of persistent emotional disorders. If we talk about the duration of postpartum depression, it is important to distinguish and even postpartum psychosis, and maternal melancholy.

3-5 days a woman can fully start to experience symptoms of maternal melancholia. It is expressed in unexplained sadness and melancholy, increased tearfulness, lack of appetite, insomnia. The timing of maternal melancholy rather lengthy, sometimes feelings of sadness can last a few hours, sometimes take a few days. However, this woman is not removed from the child performs all the necessary actions to care for them, carefully and attentive to the baby.

Therefore, the parentmelancholy is not usually attributed to psychological abnormalities, as it represents only a temporary manifestation of hormonal disorders occurring in the female body. However, in the presence of additional risk factors few days later maternal melancholy can develop into postpartum depression.

Postnatal depression often starts to form on the second or third week after birth into the light. It often manifests when the mother and baby are discharged from the hospital. Although sometimes suppressed emotions begin to overwhelm a woman a few months after the appearance of the baby born, when fatigue from the constant worries about him reaches its climax. Last postpartum depression and one month and several years.

If after a few weeks continue to show signs of the disorder, it is advisable to assume that the patient developed protracted postpartum depression. Found a similar condition is rare but in severe form, depression can last for years, acquiring a chronic disease.

A protracted postpartum depression tend certain categories of women. Among them are those who have the neurotic temperament, hysterical, introverted, have a pathological fears (phobias) or uncontrollable desire (mania). In addition, the predisposition to develop lingering depression are women who in childhood had less emotional involvement and response from his own mother. In some severe cases, to assume, how long postpartum depression in women, not even a qualified psychologist.

Rarely, about one out of thousands of women, against the backdrop of recent depression begins to form postpartum psychosis. In this case, without medical care do not succeed and the woman will need professional help in order to return to normal psychological state and to fully experience the joy of motherhood.

How to deal with postpartum depression?

You can take several actions to combat the depression arising after childbirth, independently, without recourse to a psychologist.

Here the most important aspects:

  • Appeal. You should try to remain attractive, which is necessary to find time to care for their own appearance and body. For normalthe emotional state a woman should not see his repulsive reflection in the mirror. Naturally, postnatal and care of baby takes a lot of time. However, you should try to allocate at least every 15 minutes to carry out hygienic and beauty treatments. To facilitate the care of their own appearance, you can visit the salon and make a fashionable haircut that doesn't require long time to install. You should pay attention not only to the promenade clothing, but also on the home. It should be practical, convenient and beautiful;

  • You must learn to hear the baby. In this case we are talking about an adequate response to his lament about hunger or the need for hygiene procedures. Don't panic about the slightest cry, because often it is the result of the natural development of the baby, and not a sign of any pathology. At this age children need only to food, timely care and proximity to the mother;

  • Communication with the baby. It is important to communicate with the born child. Even if he is only a few days, that is no reason to spend time in silence. You need to talk with him, "cooing" and COO. These simple steps will be able to bring their own nervous system into balance. Besides, communication has benefits not only for mother but for the baby. Hearing her calm voice, it will be better to develop in intellectual, speech and emotional plan;

  • Help. You should not refuse any help that can relieve a woman. This can be a suggestion to stroll with a sleeping baby or service in terms of homemaking. Any help for a young mother to be useful as it will allow her to relax a bit;

  • The relationship with the partner. A man nearby ought to not be a bystander but a full participant in the process of child care. He, as well as the woman difficult to get comfortable with the new role of parent, he may not understand how to care for the child. Therefore, the required specific requests for assistance, with a precise indication of the required set of actions, not abstract complaints and claims;

  • Communication and leisure. Do not limit your circle of friends and family to lock in the house. To diversify leisure, we can try to establish contact with the same young mothers walking on the street with children. Joint discussion of problems, small achievements of the child, will help you find new friends whom will always be something to talk about. In addition, in this useful Internet. You can chat on the forumsto share their own experiences and problems;

  • Baths. To help in the fight against postpartum depression can come in a relaxing bath. You can, for example, to adopt a bath with rose petals, which is only one of its kind and the fragrance will relieve fatigue and depression.

Additional recommendations

  • If a woman does not consider it necessary to seek psychological help, but feels emotionally with her there is something not quite right, need, first and foremost, try to stick to a healthy lifestyle. Active exercise in the morning, Hiking with the baby in the fresh air, normalization of diet, healthy low-calorie foods, quitting bad habits – these are all key to a successful exit from depression after childbirth.
  • Also, do not try to be the perfect mother and to build a model perfect family. Usually, the inability to translate into reality all our plans leads to depressive disorders. To establish emotional balance, you can consult with a close friend or relative, gone through childbirth and have faced similar difficulties.
  • It is important not to be shy to admit a close person in their experiences, feelings, and emotions. You should not hesitate to report about the emerging sense of anxiety man. Maybe the husband no less than you worried about the birth of a child, and after talking with him, you will be able to resolve not only my problem. Male postpartum depression is not an uncommon phenomenon, as it may seem at first glance.
  • If none of the tips does not help to get rid of depressive disorders, and the condition continues to worsen, you should seek medical help. Perhaps the woman would require treatment using medicines.

Topic: How to get out of depression by yourself?

What to do husband while postpartum depression in the wives?

The husband, noticing the signs of postpartum depression in women, obliged to help her cope with this destructive condition. For this purpose it is necessary to take at least a small part of household duties, even if they had performed only a woman. Besides, my wife should not only with farming but also with the needs of the child.

There is evidence that depressive disorders ofteninfluenced by those women who do not experience care from the husband. If he is not actively involved in family Affairs, does not offer his help to a young mother, she is more likely to suffer from postpartum depression.

It is important to provide not only physical but also psychological assistance. For women need to see support in the face of the husband, his desire to listen, to sympathize, to give good advice, not to criticize and condemn.

Man needs to understand that postpartum depression is not a whim, but a disease which affects a woman. Just go and forget about her own experiences she is unable, in the same way as a patient with diabetes may not only one effort of will to lower the level of blood sugar.

For women after childbirth just need to feel loved and needed. The willingness of a close person to help, and little to relieve her from domestic cares – that's the best that can offer the man to bring the woman out of depression.

Advice from experienced women

To learn that not only is she having psychological problems after childbirth, a woman will be useful. Many of the fairer sex had the same problems and share tips on how they managed to cope with postpartum depression.

Alain, 28 years. "Nothing and no one will be able to help you out of this state, except itself. It's good to have people who don't judge and understand. The depression will pass on their own after some time. You will again feel the love of life. Most importantly, do not feel doubt about the feeling of love to the baby and so it shall be."

Juliana, 25 years. "I felt the signs of postpartum depression not once, but after about three weeks after the birth of my daughter. How do I then hated all these advisers, and the proposal of her husband to seek help, I do have apprehended in bayonets. But well, that time changed his mind, and beloved still insisted. Three sessions with a psychologist and everything fell into place."

Light, 31. "When I was pregnant, I thought that the time of the birth of a baby will be the happiest in my life. But Kirill was born, and I felt a strong sense of loneliness. I felt like I was deprived of all the usual joys of life. If earlier at work, I just bathed in the attention, were the most attractive, could boast of proportional forms, now lean and terrible. Meeting friends, partying, traveling – all this in the past. Now, only child! But her husband found out – he rented a house in the countryside, and for the summer I nanny moved there. It was there that I was able to reflect onhis behavior in a different way to look at the changes in my life. And I felt better, I realized that I love my baby and appreciate her husband. Do not think that I with fat freaked me the truth then it was very hard, and it's been everything."

Nina, 25 years. "I was waiting for a pregnancy and wanted the child, that the thought of any depression I have not encountered. But then I just covered. Causeless weeping constant tears in my eyes, thought all went crazy. Husband left, my mom unsuccessfully tried to maintain. It seemed that life stopped. But once I walked in the yard and met with the same mother, and she was a psychologist. We'd talk for hours, while the kids slept. Thanks Lena, I returned to normal life, and her husband, incidentally, is also returned. All we have is normal".

Natasha, 28 years old. "Do not think that fatigue and depression are one and the same. When you have depression, everything is much more serious. Wanted the baby, gave birth, helped me, my husband took care of the house, it was everything. But for some reason I hated myself and as it is awful, daughter. Time dragged on, I did everything like a robot, because it is necessary. The first time I felt a tenderness to his daughter in five months. And now she's almost three and I'm crazy about my little lady. Even thoughts are afraid to go back in time".

Dasha, 21 years. "When Sonia gave birth, my baby was literally taken away. Mother and mother-in-law did everything for me, except that wasn't breast-fed. So I lay in bed and watched TV. But everything changed when the mother-in-law went for a month to visit, and mom was in the hospital, I had literally activated. I worked both batteries, but again felt the taste for life, became an active, vigorous and cheerful. That's how it is."

Jack, 26 years. "I'm so sorry that you gave birth, even wanted to abandon Misha. But was treated in the hospital lain. Now Mike 2, all can survive, everything will pass".

Julia, 24 years old."I was so sick, longing gnawed right, I was angry, then bored, then cried. But when my girl smiled at me, it was me, I realized that happy. And now, only a month ago gave birth to the second Princess, but now the sadness in my life just yet".


What treats post-partum depression?

Depression can be treated.

There are several therapeutic options, including:

  • Cognitive therapy. It allows you to stop the development of destructive psychological process. According to studies, the signs of depressive disorders after birth reduced after the firstsession, and after six observed a marked improvement. Apply breathing and relaxation techniques should only specialist;
  • Psychological counseling. It helps when the patient needed emotional support, objective advice to help find a way out and the current situation. Should be prepared for several visits, because one consultation is not enough;

  • The use of antidepressants. The medication must be accompanied by a visit to the psychologist. You should know that not all antidepressants may be taken while breast-feeding. Doctors recommend the use of selective inhibitors of serotonin reuptake or tricyclic antidepressants (except doxepin).

Treatment will depend on the severity of the condition. Perhaps the woman will need to visit the endocrinologist and to hand over analyses on hormones. Sometimes shock mechanism to the formation of resistant depression may be anemia, which often occurs in parous women.

So if during pregnancy were low hemoglobin level, it is advisable to donate blood for the General analysis and to exclude anaemia.

Do not forget about the principles of proper nutrition. Studies indicate a direct relationship between the amount of alcohol a woman of sugars and incidence of postpartum depression. The same statement is legitimate in relation to chocolate. Why sugary foods need to be minimized.

Topic: List of anti-depression drugs


Prevention of postpartum depression

Factors contributing to reduced risk of postpartum depression:

  • Support of loved ones, both during pregnancy and after childbirth;
  • Taking care of their own health, maintain good physical shape;
  • Exercise;
  • Nutrition;
  • Avoiding harmful habits;
  • Consult a doctor if you have predisposing factors of depression;
  • Tactile and emotional contact with the child;
  • More or less complete rest;
  • Daily walks in the fresh air, communicate with new people;
  • The availability of opportunities to spend time with her husband alone.

In General, the prevention of depression in the postpartum period is reduced to maintain normal physical and psychological health. A woman experiencing negative emotions, it is not necessary to conceal them, you need to contactfor help to loved ones or a specialist.