A woman usually anticipates having her baby with happiness. After all, having a child can be delightful. It can be what a woman and her husband has long expected. And so the baby is finally there. Seeing her baby is said to be one of a woman’s profound joy. But in some cases it is not. Especially to 16% of women who have just had their babies. The number can even be greater than that. These are the women affected with
. Sixteen percent of mothers are reported to suffer from it, but still some cases are left unreported.
Why? It’s because postpartum depression can be unrecognized. A mother can have postpartum depression and not know it. Thus, the condition is left untreated. But still postpartum depression is an illness. It is depression and it is in fact a disease. And yes, postpartum depression can wreak havoc. Not only to the mother, but to her child as well, and the family. There are baby blues and there is
. These two are different conditions, and postpartum depression is apparently more severe. What is the case of the baby blues? The baby blues has its onset right after childbirth.
And it lasts for a few days to a week. The baby blues as it connotes is a feeling of sadness. A case of the baby blues does not need treatment. It is easier to cope with. A woman can talk it out with her family and friends or with other new mothers who are experiencing the same feelings. As for postpartum depression, it can occur anytime within the first year of having the baby. Postpartum depression is best recognized and diagnosed so that treatment can be sought. What are the signs and symptoms of this illness? For one thing, a woman may not feel so happy despite just having her baby.
She may feel sad, angry and irritable. Even frustrated. The mother may also have feelings of guilt, like she is not worthy. She may even feel like she is a terrible mother. It can also be postpartum depression when a woman feels always exhausted and has trouble sleeping. She may begin to lose appetite and may have sudden extreme changes in weight. Other symptoms of postpartum depression are constant worrying and difficulty in concentrating. So is anxiety. When a mother is depressed, she may burst out in tears for no apparent reason. She may not feel like talking to her friends and family.
The mother may blame the baby for all these feelings, and she may even think of hurting herself and her baby. It can be life-changing when a mother suffers from postpartum depression. But a woman should realize- it is not her fault and she is not alone. Brooke Shields suffered from the same illness and she was even able to write a good book about it. When a mother suffers from
, she should well think – things will get better. Until then there are many support systems like friends and family, medical professionals, peer groups, counselors and hotlines. She just has to hang in there.
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