Everything You Need to Know About Postnatal Depression

As per statistics, close to 10 per cent of mothers who have delivered go through postnatal depression (PND). A survey which was carried out in the year 2006 for the Royal College came out with a greater percentage. About 27 per cent of women having children below the age of one, claimed that they have undergone treatment for PND.

Postnatal depression is different from baby blues. Immediately after a woman delivers her baby, the woman experiences baby blues. These make a woman feel depressed and sad. She is not clear why she is depressed and out of mood, whether her baby is making her feel low or whether she is feeling tired and tense herself. The reason this happens is because of change of hormone levels which take place after the delivery. A woman has to deal with baby blues for about 2 to 3 days and then she is back to normal.

When does postnatal depression start?

Baby blues is definitely not as depressing as postnatal depression. A woman suffering from baby blues will be able to get over with it since it is a short lived thing. On the contrary, postnatal depression can become really serious. The woman becomes overly worried and sad. Postnatal depression can start either after a few days, weeks or months and they persist for a long time. The initial feeling of happiness is lost, since the mother gets totally tired looking after the baby day in and day out.

Symptoms of postnatal depression

If you are suffering from the below mentioned symptoms on and off, then you are most probably not suffering from postnatal depression. What we need to understand is that giving birth to another life itself is an emotional and physical rollercoaster. There obviously would be good time and bad times, but if the condition worsens, it obviously means you are not keeping well and it is time to meet up with either your gynecologist or your family physician.

If you feel
- Sad and dejected quite often.
- Condition worsens early in the morning and also in the evening
- Feeling of worthlessness and nothing excites you or makes you happy
- Feeling of guilt and blaming yourself for nothing at all
- Losing temper and feeling of irritation. Rudely speaking to your partner.
- Feeling like crying
- Getting tired and worn out and still unable to sleep peacefully
- Not able to enjoy oneself
- Feeling that you are left out
- Feeling that you are not able to do things quickly, the way you used to do once upon a time.
- Feeling of nervousness and overly concerned about the baby and contacting the doctor to reassure one that everything is okay with the child.
- Not comfortable about your own health.
- Dreaming about something rather irrelevant
- Feeling that the baby is not yours and someone else’s.

Some other symptoms include:
- Low sex drive
- Feeling exhausted and tired
- Not able to remember things very clearly
- Difficult to arrive at decisions
- Bloated feeling
- Not able to sleep peacefully.

Am I likely to get postnatal depression?

Doctors are still not able to analyze why some women are prone to postnatal depression while some are practically normal. Every human is unique and the brain biochemistry of each individual differs. This means some of us are prone to getting irritated and depressed whereas some luckily escape this. But there are some situations which are beyond control and this could accelerate the risk of depression.

- Previous history of depression
- Depression during the trimesters of pregnancy
- Terrible experience during child birth
- Demise of your mother during your birth
- No support from family or spouse
- If the baby has delivered premature or is not healthy
- Monetary problems or other problems faced in the life

How is postnatal depression treated?

Drugs
There are very good medications available which help in fighting postnatal depression. Many women have preconceived notions that these anti depressants are highly addictive. But this is not the case. The mistake which most women make is that they do not follow the medication properly.
Make sure you follow the medication properly and at the times prescribed. Within a few weeks you would start feeling rejuvenated and happy. These medications should not be discontinued immediately. Take advice from your doctor before discontinuing the anti-depressant drugs. Normally, these drugs are advised at least for six months. If you give up on these within a few weeks, you are definitely to going to get another attack of depression.

Gynecologists understand that you need to breastfeed the baby; hence the drugs prescribed would not have any side effects on your baby.

“Talking” therapies
It is important that you talk to someone who listens and understands your problems. This is very effective. You could approach your family doctor who would then refer you to a counselor or any other professional who is a trained counselor. There are trained counselors who help out people suffering from postnatal depression. Even if you are able to cry out your heart to a dear friend or a close relative, it could really be helpful. It may also happen that sometimes they are not able to provide a solution to your problems, but it is okay.

What can friends and family do?

If any of your close relatives like your sister, partner or your daughter is going through postnatal depression, the changes can be glaringly visible. Even people in contact with her would get depressed looking at her sight. It is imperative that you get in touch with your family doctor or a counselor who could help you out and advise you accordingly. Once it is established that this is a real problem and there is someone to help you out, it would be really encouraging. You could also make your friends and relatives understand the emotional turmoil the person is going through, for them to understand you better. Things will get better with time. Just have patience.

If you are closely related to the person suffering from postnatal depression, you could do your bit to help out the person from this physical and emotional turmoil:

- Ensure that the patient has the prescribed medication on time and does not miss the counseling appointments.
- If the patient is disturbed about taking the medication, your family physician could talk to the patient.
- Do not keep giving free lectures to the patient. Instead try and cheer her up.
- Help her in taking care of the baby and also some part of the household tasks. Do not take up all the activities of the baby. This would give her an impression that she is not well.
- Encouraging her that she is going to get alright would help
- If you are her partner, talk to her like a friend. She is your life partner and friend first and then the mother of your baby.

How can I help myself?

Try to have a healthy diet.
If you do not feel hungry, then make sure you eat small but regular meals. This is very important as your body also needs nutrition. It is important that you do not skip your breakfast. Eating carbohydrates is important as it gives energy to the body. Pasta, bananas, rice and cereals contain a lot of carbohydrates and they give energy to the body. Include lot of fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet. Chocolate helps in cheering up. You could have your chocolate bar, but do not make it a habit.

Try to get lots of rest.
If you are able to sleep well or at least relax, it could have positive effects on your body. Having a glass of warm milk or any drink before going to bed, listening to soothing music would be soothing and relaxing.

Be kind to yourself.
You need to understand that you are not keeping very good health and you need to give your body time to get back to normal. Do not start taking up tasks which could take a toll on your health. This could tire you further and you might go back into depression once again. Put off tasks which could be done later. Treat yourself to something of your choice so that you feel good.

Will I get postnatal depression again after my next baby?

If you have had a history of depression, it is quite possible that you might suffer from postnatal depression. If there are many women who do not experience postnatal depression during their second delivery. If you plan well on how to cope with your baby after the delivery, things can be managed pretty well. Your gynecologist would be able to help you and advise you on what to do and what not to, so that you are prepared for the worst.

Can I prevent postnatal depression?

This cannot be predicted. But if you have good support systems during pregnancy, it would help you in being physically and mentally strong. By your next delivery, you know what to expect, you would take all the help offered to you and take complete rest, be fit and thereby your stress levels would be definitely lower.
It is thought by some doctors that if a woman takes regular hormone injections after her delivery, it would help her out with postnatal depression. You could always talk it out with your family physician.

Where can I find out more?

Within your local community, you could talk to women who have delivered to get a feel of what to expect.