Having a baby is one of the most life-changing things that can happen to a person. You may be faced with many different feelings at the same time. It can be exciting and terrifying all at once. It is important to pay close attention to your feelings during the postpartum phase. Many new moms go through something called postpartum depression after having the baby. This guide goes over the symptoms of this disorder and the steps to take if you have it.
Symptoms
The symptoms of postpartum disorder may be different for each person who experiences it. Some of the common symptoms include:
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Anxiety
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Loss of appetite
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Trouble bonding with the newborn
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Panic attacks
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Bouts of anger
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Feelings of being overwhelmed
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Thoughts of harming your newborn or yourself
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should contact your OBGYN immediately. Some people even go through postpartum psychosis, which has more severe symptoms, such as:
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Disorientation
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Hallucinations
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Paranoia
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Attempting to harm your newborn or yourself
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Manic behavior
If you think you are going through this, immediately go to a doctor or emergency room.
Causes
The causes of this disorder may be from many different things. One of the causes is linked to the rapid physical changes your body goes through during pregnancy and then labor. The lack of hormones in the body after birth is known to trigger postpartum depression. You will also be dealing with a lack of sleep due to having a newborn that is up multiple times during the night. Coupled with anxious feelings about taking care of your baby, it can all add up and become overwhelming. Most of these feelings abate within a few weeks, but if it doesn't, you should contact your doctor.
Risks
There are always risk factors for getting postpartum depression after any pregnancy. You may not experience it at all. You may experience it after one pregnancy, but not others. Some of the risk factors for it are:
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Multiple baby births, like twins
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Previous history of depression
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Bipolar disorder
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Babies born with health issues or special needs babies
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Financial issues
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Relationship issues
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Unwanted pregnancy
Not everyone who goes through these things will have postpartum depression, but these factors can play a part.
Treatment
The doctor will perform tests to rule out other things that may be causing your symptoms, like thyroid disease. A depression screening will also be done. Treatment for postpartum depression usually includes therapy coupled with antidepressants.
