What Is Postpartum Depression?
Postpartum depression can cause a range of symptoms. Starting from feeling sad, guilty, and other common forms of depression for a long period of time after giving birth.
Having a baby can bring a powerful surge of feelings and emotions, ranging from joy, and happiness, to fear. This surge of emotions plays a role in the development of postpartum depression.
Most new mothers experience postpartum baby blues after giving birth. This condition usually includes mood swings, crying, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping.
Baby blues usually appear in the first two to three days after giving birth, and can last up to two weeks.
However, some new mothers experience a more severe and long-lasting form of depression. In rare cases, an extreme mood disorder called postpartum psychosis can also develop after giving birth.
Postpartum depression is not a character flaw or weakness in a mother. Sometimes it is just a complication of childbirth.
If a mother experiences postpartum depression, she needs to get treatment right away to manage the symptoms and help her bond with her newborn.
Postpartum Depression Symptoms
Before reaching postpartum depression, there is a condition called baby blues syndrome, which is a mood change disorder after giving birth.
Postpartum depression has symptoms similar to baby blues syndrome, with a longer duration and greater intensity, such as:
- Mood swing disorder.
- Worried.
- Sad.
- Emotionally sensitive to something.
- Feel guilty.
- Excessive crying.
- Decreased concentration.
- Eating disorders.
- Sleep disturbances, difficulty sleeping (insomnia) or sleeping too much.
- Away from family.
- Difficulty in caring for the baby.
Also Read: Differences Between Baby Blues Syndrome and Postpartum Depression
Causes of Postpartum Depression
There is no single cause of postpartum depression. However, psychological problems and changes in physical condition play a role in postpartum depression.
Physical changes
After childbirth, there are huge hormonal changes in a woman’s body (especially the female hormones estrogen and progesterone).
Other body hormones can also experience changes as a result of adjusting to these changes.
This thyroid hormone plays a role in causing mood changes after giving birth.
Psychological problems
Having a baby (especially for the first time) often causes mothers to become anxious and insecure about their ability to care for a newborn.
Feelings like this that persist can cause the mother to fall into a state of depression.
Lack of sleep
When moms are sleep-deprived and overwhelmed, they may have difficulty handling even small problems.
Self-image issues
Mothers may feel less attractive, struggle with identity, or feel that they have lost control over their own lives.
Any of these issues can contribute to postpartum depression.
Not a few mothers have difficulty distinguishing baby blues syndrome from postpartum depression.
Risk Factors for Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression is common in first-time mothers. However, it is possible for it to occur in subsequent births.
The following risk factors can increase the risk of postpartum depression, namely:
- Have had depression before.
- History of bipolar disorder.
- Have a history of postpartum depression in a previous pregnancy.
- Having experienced a difficult event in the past year that has affected your emotions and psyche.
- The baby has special needs or special circumstances.
- Having twins, or a triplet pregnancy requires more attention.
- Difficulty in providing breast milk.
- Having problems with your partner.
- Financial problems when approaching childbirth.
- Unplanned pregnancy.
Postpartum Depression Diagnosis
The doctor will diagnose this condition after observing the symptoms that the mother feels through an interview session.
During the observation process, the doctor may do:
1. Interview
The doctor needs to interview the sufferer to get information about the symptoms and experiences the mother feels. The doctor will ask the mother to explain her feelings, thoughts, and mood changes.
2. Physical Examination
The doctor may also perform a physical exam to rule out possible physical health problems that may be causing this condition.
3. Depression Assessment Test
Mental health clinicians may use specific assessment tools, such as questionnaires or depression rating scales, to measure the severity of depression. An example of a scale that clinicians often use is the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS).
4. Behavioral Observation
The mother’s behavior can also be an important clue in the diagnosis. The doctor will look for signs such as changes in sleep, appetite, energy levels, and engagement in daily activities.
5. Medical History and Pregnancy History
The doctor will ask the mother about her medical history, pregnancy history, and previous history of depression or mental disorders. This information can help in the diagnosis process.
6. Evaluate Other Causes
Postpartum depression can also be caused by other factors such as hormonal disorders or chemical instability in the body. The doctor will try to identify if there are other factors contributing to the symptoms of depression.
Postpartum Depression Complications
If not handled properly, postpartum depression can disrupt the relationship between mother and child and cause problems within the family.
- For mothers. Untreated postpartum depression can last for months. This increases the risk of mothers developing chronic depressive disorder and other major depressive episodes.
- For fathers. Postpartum depression can have lasting effects on families. Mothers with postpartum depression may increase the risk of depression in fathers.
- For children. Children with mothers who experience postpartum depression are likely to have emotional and behavioral disorders. Examples include eating and sleeping disorders, easy crying, and speech delays.
Types of Postpartum Depression
There are three terms used to describe the mood changes experienced by mothers after giving birth:
1. Baby Blues
Baby blues occurs in almost 70 percent of mothers in the days after giving birth. Mothers may experience sudden mood swings. Like feeling very happy and then feeling very sad.
Mothers may also cry for no reason and may feel impatient, cranky, restless, anxious, lonely, and sad.
Baby blues can last for just a few hours or for 1 to 2 weeks after giving birth. Usually, mothers do not need treatment, but talking to their partner or other mothers may help.
2. Postpartum Depression (PPD)
This condition can occur several days or even months after giving birth.
PPD can occur after the birth of any child, not just the first. Mothers can have feelings similar to baby blues, only much stronger.
PPD often makes it difficult for mothers to do things they need to do every day. When a mother’s ability to function is affected, she needs to see an ob-gyn or obstetrician.
Doctors can identify symptoms of depression and plan treatment.
3. Postpartum Psychosis
It is a very serious mental illness that can affect new mothers.
This disease can occur quickly, usually within the first 3 months after giving birth. The mother can lose touch with reality, experiencing auditory hallucinations and delusions.
Meanwhile, other symptoms include insomnia, feelings of restlessness and anger, pacing, restlessness, and strange feelings and behavior.
Mothers who experience postpartum psychosis require immediate care and almost always require medication.
In rare cases, mothers who experience postpartum psychosis need to be hospitalized because they are at risk of harming themselves or others.
Postpartum Depression Treatment
Treatment for postpartum depression often involves psychotherapy or medication, or even both.
- Psychotherapy. A session used for the mother and perhaps the father to meet with a psychiatrist or psychologist, tand hen discuss all the underlying issues that caused the depression. Psychotherapy aims to find a way to deal with a problem so that it does not cause a burden for the mother.
- Antidepressants. Antidepressants can be prescribed by your doctor if needed. Although they can pass into breast milk, most antidepressants do not cause side effects for babies.
Postpartum Depression Prevention
If you have a history of mental disorders such as anxiety or depression, immediately inform your doctor during routine pregnancy check-ups.
- During pregnancy, the doctor will observe the symptoms and signs of depression. During pregnancy, some mothers have a tendency to have mild depression.
- After the baby is born. After the baby is born the doctor will recommend regular check-ups to check for signs of depression or baby blues syndrome.
