Getting a baby comes with a mixture of emotions like excitement, anxiety and joy just to mention a few. After the delivery, your body has already gone through so many changes that it has to adjust and readjust itself , and this may not be so easy. You may end up feeling like a stranger to yourself. Moods may be up and down for many days and that is certainly what is known as the baby blues. Baby blues are as normal as mood swings but postpartum depression is the one considered as a disorder.
Postpartum Depression (PPD) and Maternity Blues: What’s the Difference?
With being blue, you always feel that you are tired, you lose your appetite and you feel like crying most of the time. Nervousness and Anxiety are known as constant companions. Fortunately, with the blues, you are not really sick as such feelings will eventually disappear completely when you get the right amount of support and rest that you need.
You do not need to take any medication to counter the maternity blues that you may have. You just simply need to give yourself a time to recover. Your body has gone through a very dramatic period during your pregnancy and all throughout the delivery process. Time will heal all of the abnormal experiences that you had so you just need to relax.
The blues are caused by the swift changes that your body is going through. One of the major changes include the sudden drop of hormone levels which is accompanied by the production of milk that will cause your breasts to become painful and uncomfortable. These physical changes will definitely throw off the balance of your body but soon, the body will eventually be used to it.
On the other hand, however, post partum psychosis is considered to be severe. Aside from the physical and emotional changes initially stated , you can also experience insomnia or oversleeping , loss of interest in performing daily activities including those that were once pleasurable to you in your pre-pregnancy state. You can abnormally lose or gain weight as associated with the feelings of low self worth which can be indicative of depression. The degree of post partum depression will be dependent upon the severity of the symptoms exhibited. Antidepressants can go a long way in helping you to overcome the said condition.
Wetter, Louder, Stickier: A Baby Blues Collection (Baby Blues Scrapbook)
Predisposition to Postpartum Psychosis
There are certain number of factors that are considered to be contributing to the existence of depression. If you tend to experience severe pre-menstruation syndrome, it could be more likely that you will experience the depression after the delivery. Another factor that can affect your predisposition towards depression is the overall experience that you had during your pregnancy. The pregnant women who experience stressful pregnancies or who have been depressed throughout their pregnancy can also experience postnatal depression. Previous pregnancies can also affect your post delivery experience.
How To Deal with Postpartum Depression or PPD
The condition could be greatly helped through the support of the husband and the family. Get to talk about your feelings and share your experiences regarding your situation. Surround yourself with people who actually care about your needs and are always ready to help you out to recover.
You must also accept the fact that you are entering a different stage in your life and there are a lot of challenges that you might face in the parenting stage and in the new role that you assume as a mother. Since you are not the first parent to exist, you can talk to other experienced mothers so that you can be familiar with how they were able to deal with their struggles when it comes to the changes that they experienced in pregnancy. You can even be surprised to find out that you are doing much better as compared to some of them. Ask for assistance when it comes to doing the chores and taking care of the baby and make sure that you give yourself a time to relax and achieve peace of mind.
You may also consider altering your environment. Staying in your house for very long periods of time can even aggravate the problem . Go out for a walk, stroll around and appreciate the outdoors. Fresh air and sunshine can definitely do you good. Engage in your favorite activities or hobbies once in a while most especially when the baby is asleep or when someone is there to take care of your child. Read a book, a magazine or simply the daily newspaper. Try to do some activities that challenge your mind like playing the scrabble or answering the crossword puzzle so that you can stop yourself from thinking depressive thoughts.
Getting Over Baby Blues or Postpartum Depression
Be assured knowing that baby blues or PPD won’t last forever. The time will comes when your baby will be big enough to sit, eat and even have a conversation with you. You can eventually be able to let them know that you have been through a lot of experiences just to give life to them. Always look at the bright side of life and never let depression take over you. The fact that you brought new life to the world is something that can really bring so much joy. Remember to reach out to your support network – you don’t have to battle it all out on your own!