In Babies and more we have already talked about the postpartum depression, but it is an issue on which new advice can always be provided for mothers and their families. I talked to you a few days ago about the symptoms that are associated with postpartum depression but also agree with posttraumatic stress syndrome. However, depressions, more or less mild, also occur and often occur in women who, objectively, do not seem to have a clear reason to feel sad.
There are women in whom the feeling of depression can have a real explanation: that the pregnancy was not desired, that there are serious economic or personal problems, or that the child was born with problems. These are understandable causes.
However, the postpartum depression It also occurs in mothers who do not have a specific reason. Everything has gone perfectly, your child has arrived well and they have support from the environment: There is nothing that specifically causes those feelings of restlessness and fear. The women who go through this situation are not ungrateful or bad mothers. We should not convey these assessments. They are simply experiencing one of the most frequent complications of the puerperium and it is estimated that it affects 15% of women. Understanding and expressions of affection and trust are fundamental in those moments.
The postpartum depression It usually appears in the first month but there are also cases that appear in the following months. Hormonal changes may be at the origin of the disorder since hormones modify brain chemistry. But there are no clear factors that identify as the cause.
The mother who suffers from postpartum depression will suffer symptoms such as irritability, anxiety and sadness.
Sadness is the most striking. The mother feels without joy, but at the same time is able to get excited with her son, note that she should be happier and give thanks for what she has. But he can not. The unhappiness increases, the guilt for not being as it should be only increases the melancholy and the desire to cry. This feeling is not permanent, but there are times when it is completely defeated.
Add to this greater irritability. Jump for everything, especially towards your partner or your mother, and also towards the children or the newborn. Note that everyone judges her, they don't trust her and they don't help her enough. He is in a bad mood frequently and any comment makes him angry.
She is exhausted, which is normal with a newborn baby, but she sees that her forces do not reach anything and cannot take on the tasks that are necessary. He ends up feeling that he is useless and incapable. This especially overwhelms very organized women who have never been overwhelmed.
Despite the exhaustion, problems arise to perfectly fall asleep and that, when you have to take advantage of all the moments to rest, makes the days endless. Tiredness and nerves only add and rest properly is prevented by recurring thoughts. He is overwhelmed by any routine and feels that everything remains undone. Anxiety arrives. The mother is afraid of being alone with the child, afraid of not being able to attend an emergency or taking care of it correctly.
In these circumstances, sexual life and food remain in the background, and especially if the partner is not sensitive to the situation, their approaches are lived with real displeasure. The woman feels guilty for not feeling any desire. And that, if your partner does not respect you, only increases the distance between them. Although I consider this situation is a consequence that can be normal for the puerperium. Waiting for a recovery of libido is then counterproductive, increasing the pressure on the mother.
Some of the sensations I have described are normal in a puerperium. The serious thing is that they become chronic or make the woman feel so miserable as to sink. Only then can we talk about a postpartum depression.
You have to see a doctor who understands postpartum psychology well and advises the couple to face the situation and, above all, to adapt to the necessary changes. Pharmacology may become accurate in some cases of postpartum depression and it is essential, if the mother breastfeeds, that she does not abandon it for this reason, there are medicines compatible with breastfeeding that should be prescribed. But most of these depressions can be solved with understanding, specialized support and, above all, an appropriate environment.
Problems with breastfeeding increase the mother's despair and in those cases, going to a support group is extremely beneficial. Leaving the breast because of the medication or the difficulties is not usually helpful, although there are times when it becomes a feeling of liberation if the mother does not receive enough help.
Before motherhood or when you are surprised, I advise you to recognize yourself as a puerpera, with new emotional and organizational needs. There are tips that can help us have a happy puerperium. Not underestimating its importance can help prevent or cope with postpartum depression.
