Postpartum Depression: When it’s More Than the Baby Blues

If you’ve recently had a baby and find yourself feeling tired, anxious, irritable and sad, you may have a case of the “baby blues,” which last a few days or even a couple of weeks. However, if you find that the symptoms you experience, also including exhaustion, headaches, a sense of inadequacy and crying, are growing more intense and lasting longer that a few weeks, you may be suffering from postpartum depression.

If it is post partum depression, these symptoms of the “baby blues” may also be accompanied by:

• Constant fatigue
• A lack of joy in your life
• A sense of emotional numbness or failure
• Withdrawal from family and friends
• Lack of concern for yourself or your baby
• Less interest in sex
• Severe mood swings
• Impaired thinking or concentration
• Insomnia

While there is no single cause for postpartum depression, it is believed that physical, emotional and lifestyle factors all may play a role.

Physically, the drop in estrogen and progesterone (hormones produced by your thyroid gland) after childbirth may trigger depression by leaving you feeling tired, sluggish and down. Likewise, changes in your blood volume and blood pressure, as well as your immune system and metabolism, can cause additional fatigue and mood swings.

Emotionally, you’re probably sleep-deprived and somewhat overwhelmed, and you may find it difficult dealing with even small problems. This can be blamed on anxiety related to caring for a newborn or the struggle some new moms endure because they may feel less attractive or like they have lost control over their own life.

Additionally, lifestyle factors can contribute to post partum depression, as you work the demands of a new baby, older siblings, breast-feeding, exhaustion, financial strains, etc.

But When Should You Seek Medical Care?

If the signs and symptoms of depression don't fade after a few weeks or if you find that they are so severe that they interfere with your ability to complete everyday tasks, it’s time to call your doctor.

Remember: early intervention can speed your recovery.

It’s understandable that if you're feeling depressed after your baby's birth, you may be reluctant or embarrassed to admit it. But it's important to talk openly and honestly with your doctor – for both yourself and your child.

Diagnosing Postpartum Depression

Your doctor will help you determine if you are experiencing postpartum depression. He or she may do blood tests to help determine if an under-active thyroid is contributing to your symptoms. Your doctor will also ask you a series of questions, perhaps 10 from the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale¹, to help determine the severity of your depression.

Treatment

While the “baby blues” can be expected to fade in days or a few weeks, post natal depression will not and treatment will need to be determined by your physician and may include medication and/or counseling.

Your doctor may prescribe an antidepressant. If you are breast-feeding, make sure your doctor is aware of this because any medication you take will enter your breast milk.

While some antidepressants raise concerns for babies, others have not been adequately tested so it is imperative that your doctor be reminded if you are breast-feeding.

Your doctor may also prescribe hormone therapy to help combat the rapid drop in estrogen. Because estrogen therapy after childbirth may decrease milk production and increase the risk of developing blood clots in the leg or lungs, it is important that you and your doctor weigh the benefits and risks together.

How Common is Postpartum Depression?

Postpartum depression occurs in approximately 10%-15% of childbearing women, and may begin anywhere from 24 hours to several months after delivery, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Women at highest risk are those with a personal history of depression, previous episode of postpartum depression, or depression during pregnancy, according to Ruta M. Nonacs, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Director of the Perinatal Psychiatry Clinical Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School.

It Can Happen to Anyone

Even some of the most famous women in the world have battled postpartum depression after giving birth including Marie Osmond, Brooke Shields, and Courteney Cox.

The truth is that no woman is exempt and postpartum can happen to anyone. If you think you may suffer from postpartum depression, call your doctor right away.

Don’t Wait!

In an article written by Dr. Ruta M. Nonacs, entitled “Postpartum Depression,” she says “Untreated postpartum affective illness places both the mother and infant at risk and is associated with significant long-term effects on child development and behavior; therefore, prompt recognition and treatment of postpartum depression are essential for both maternal and infant well-being.”

Source:

1: Cox, J.L., Holden, J.M., and Sagovsky, R. 1987. Detection of postnatal depression: Development of the 10-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. British Journal of Psychiatry 150:782-786.

Also see: [ take a depression test ] [ different types of depression ]

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