About 50 to 85% of new mothers experience the baby blues in the first two weeks postpartum. Without any reason, they are all of a sudden in tears. They may feel sad, restless, exhausted, and worry about the lack of happy feelings that are supposed to come with the birth of the baby. In most cases, these baby blues are limited to about two weeks.
In some cases, the symptoms get worse or are developing after two weeks. Also insomnia, weight loss, confusion, anxiety or feeling emotionally detoached from the baby are part of the picture. If these feelings are not resolving on its own within about two weeks, or the symptoms worsen, it is wise to consult a physician to rule out postpartum depression or start treatment
In some cases a mother develops a postpartum psychosis. The symptoms and feelings are much stronger than with a postpartum depression and a mother may harm herself or her baby. Medical treatment is necessary, admission in a hospital may be needed.
With all the pressures on the modern mother whether it be financial, marital, maternal or work stress, its no wonder so many women are being effected. In fact the stresses of initiating breastfeeding also raise a womans cortisol levels which in turn decreases her milk supply- It’s a vicious cycle. Studies have in fact shown that once women got breastfeeding going successfully they had lower cortisol levels and lower levels of depression. (see attached article on depression and breastfeeding study)
If you're a breastfeeding mother, postpartum depression needs to be on your watch list. Having a baby causes so many changes in a woman’s life. The demands of caring for a new baby 24/7 and the accompanying lack of sleep, combined with the hormonal shifts of pregnancy and childbirth, can take a huge toll on new moms. Mood swings are very common during the postpartum period; many new moms report feeling elated one minute and sad the next. But for some woman, giving birth triggers something more serious than a simple case of Baby Blues. Postpartum Depression, also called PPD, can affect a new mom's ability to properly care for her baby, and thus requires immediate attention.
Breastfeeding difficulties can be a trigger for PND. Through standard health checks with baby nurses and GPs, mental health should be evaluated. The awareness of PND should be raised so that if a family member notices that a new mother is depressed – whether breastfeeding related or not – they take it seriously. And new mothers themselves should be urged to seek help, support or advice before it is too late.
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