Are you planning on, or have you recently had a baby? If yes, then you have to learn about the hard realities of baby blues or postpartum depression that can cause difficulties after birth. Here is some essential information for all new moms, or for those who know someone who may be going through this tough period.
What is Baby Blues or Postpartum Depression?
80% of women experience tearfulness, anxiety, and feeling of distress in the first week after the birth of their baby. In some women, it lasts for a few days and this short-term anxious phase is known as baby blues. On the other hand, some women do not overcome this quickly and it gets severe. This long-term severely anxious phase of life after the birth of a baby is called postpartum depression.
Symptoms of Postpartum Depression
Many women experience different symptoms, but, in most cases, the following will appear:
- Sleep deprivations
- Unconditional crying over trivial things
- Mood swings
- Self-doubts to handle the baby
- Anxiety attacks
- The feeling of being undervalued
- Low self-esteem
- Suicidal thoughts
Causes of Postpartum Depression
If you are expecting your first baby or planning to have a baby, please keep in mind the following causes of postpartum depression:
Unexpected pregnancy:
One of the major causes of depression is that the parents do not consult a doctor for proper family planning. It’s normal to worry when the baby is born but it gets very hard when you delivered the baby with the feeling of an unsure pregnancy. Unplanned pregnancies can be the root cause of postpartum depression.
When you become a mother at a very young age:
I had heard a story in which a king had offered a prisoner to take care of a newborn so that he would get freedom from prison but the prisoner had preferred to remain in prison instead of taking care of a newborn. The story sounds funny yet it alludes to how hard it is to raise an infant. Young girls normally possess a childish nature and therefore, when they become mothers at a young age themselves, they get nothing but postpartum depression.
Being a new mother is itself a challenge:
Your baby’s sleeping patterns are linked with your mental health. Maternal health gets affected when the mother has to wake, feed, and change the diapers all night. Sleep deprivation injects extreme mood swings and dangerous thoughts into a mother’s mind.
Treatments of Postpartum Depression
Despite the severe effects of postpartum depression, it is treatable. Here are several ways how:
Consult a psychologist:
You must consult a doctor when you observe the symptoms. Most people keep ignoring it unless it gets severe, which may only make matters worse.
Observe the cause of your baby’s poor sleep:
Infant’s sleeping patterns are natural but babies cannot sleep when they are wet. Be a smart mother and buy bulk diapers before your delivery. You must keep in mind the comfort of your baby. You must prefer good quality products such as night diapers at panda for your baby.
Make sure to take time for yourself:
As any mother knows, time for ourselves is a luxury not often afforded. However, especially in cases of postpartum depression, doing things that remind you of life before children, or simply taking some alone time to bathe or read a book is key in centering your mind and allowing you to separate your life as a mother to that of a woman – which you will always be!
Let’s be honest, having a baby is one of the most challenging changes in life but planning well and allowing yourself to get mentally prepared is key in your success.
