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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.
Postnatal Depression News
Lecture on Perinatal Depression held at FJWU - The News International
Lecture on Perinatal Depression held at FJWU The News International, Pakistan - Dr Fisher has been involved in different projects of World Health Organisation to develop preventive interventions for postnatal depression. ... |
Views of healthcare staff and mothers about postnatal depression ... - Nursing Times
Views of healthcare staff and mothers about postnatal depression ... Nursing Times, UK - Background: More research is needed on views of using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale to screen recent mothers for this condition. ... |
Austin Healey: I'd been through hell before Strictly - Daily Mail
 Daily Mail | Austin Healey: I'd been through hell before Strictly Daily Mail, UK - By Rebecca Hardy He'd battled the bottle and online gambling, watched his beloved mother die - and even suffered postnatal depression. ... |
What's giving you the blues? - AsiaOne
 AsiaOne | What's giving you the blues? AsiaOne, Singapore - In severe cases, post-natal depression can lead to suicide or even infanticide. Early last year, British newspapers reported how postnatal depression drove ... |
Postnatal developmental or neurobehavioural effects - Infos Jeunes France
Postnatal developmental or neurobehavioural effects Infos Jeunes France, France - Whereas untreated depression was associated with poor cognitive and language development in neonate children. (40). |
Meet the unhappiest of families - Sydney Morning Herald
 Sydney Morning Herald | Meet the unhappiest of families Sydney Morning Herald, Australia - She had suffered postnatal depression and had been violent towards the father. He had left when Janet was two. After the break-up, the children's mother ... |