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Postpartum Depression
from: Self Help and WellnessPostpartum depression has been a disorder society has had a hard time accepting. After all, when you have a baby it should only bring great happiness to your life. Yet, being pregnant and having a baby is also a time when the body goes through enormous stress and hormones are produced in excess amounts. In most women this may cause some minor and unpredictable mood changes, but in others it's quite possible it creates postpartum depression.
Though hormones are the suspect, there's no definitive proof yet that hormones are the only culprit. Postpartum depression is a very serious disorder that affects women within weeks of giving birth. For some women, the depression begins after only a few days.
Postpartum depression becomes apparent when the new mother has difficulty accepting responsibility for the new infant. There may be lack of interest in the baby or quick irritation when the baby cries. Other symptoms of postpartum depression include the following.
* Unable to sleep
* Feelings of inadequacies
* Exhaustion
* Inability to cope with baby care
* Despondency
The interesting fact is that a woman go complete an entire pregnancy with no signs of anxiety, and then develop postpartum depression after birth. Some cases of postpartum depression are severe and include unexplained and frequent crying and even thoughts of suicide. The new mother has trouble functioning and can't seem to complete the smallest chores. Also, some women show lack of interest in the infant.
It's an unpleasant subject, but postpartum depression has been determined to be the cause of a mother injuring the infant or infant siblings. In the severest cases, postpartum depression can develop into a psychosis. A psychosis means the woman is probably hallucinating or has lost a grip on reality. In many of these cases brought to court, the new mother claims she heard voices telling her the baby or her other children must be killed.
The only reason this is discussed is because it's important to understand that postpartum depression is very real and must be treated. Ignoring the disorder does not make it go away. Fortunately, there are treatments that work well. In most cases, medication is prescribed by the doctor.
If you suspect you, or someone you know has postpartum depression, you should see a doctor immediately. Most women will experience some mild depression after the birth of a baby due to shifting hormones or the realization this child is now a continual responsibility. Before a baby is born, women gets lots of concerned attention from family and friends. Once the baby comes, and the mother is doing fine, the attention stops and the work begins. But postpartum depression is a serious disorder that must be dealt with before symptoms worsen.
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