Depression is common during and following pregnancy and if not addressed can be harmful to both the mother and baby. Postpartum depression is more than just the 'baby blues'. The symptoms can be mild to severe and involve not only feelings of sadness, anxiety, emptiness but also can affect day to day functioning. Some changes naturally occur following the birth of a baby which, may cause symptoms that are not unlike depression but, if symptoms of depression persist for greater than 2 wks, see your Dr. Not every mother will experience postpartum depression in the same way. Symptoms may manifest differently in each individual. although less commonPostpartum depression, can also occur in men.
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Risk Factors:
~ Prior history of depression or mood disorder ~ Family history of depression ~ Illness (pre-existing or post birth) ~ Traumatic pregnancy ~ Traumatic childhood ~ Stressful life events ie finances, relationships ~ Loss of a baby ~ Personality type ~ Perceived difficult baby ~ Lack of social support |
Signs and Symptoms:
~ Restlessness/ moodiness ~ Feeling sad/ hopeless/ worthless/ guilty ~ Tearfulness ~ Lack of motivation/ apathy ~ Decreased appetite ~ Lack of sleep ~ loss of short term memory ~ Difficulty concentrating/ headaches ~ Social withdrawal ~ Difficulty making decisions |
Possible Causes:
~ Sudden decrease in hormone levels ~ Tiredness from delivery ~ Lack of sleep/ broken sleep ~ Disruption in normal home routine ~ Doubts regarding your ability as a new parent ~ Being overwhelmed with new baby ~ Loss of independence & self ~ Lack of spare time ~ Feeling less attractive |
Talk to someone.
Don't wait until it is too late...
Contacts:
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Disclaimer:
This is an information website only, based on my experiences and information I have obtained through my own readings, discussions and related to topics of interest to me. For further information, I suggest you do your own research. There are differing opinions on some topics so some websites may give conflicting information and currency of information may change over time. For medical advice, I suggest you contact your healthcare provider.
This is an information website only, based on my experiences and information I have obtained through my own readings, discussions and related to topics of interest to me. For further information, I suggest you do your own research. There are differing opinions on some topics so some websites may give conflicting information and currency of information may change over time. For medical advice, I suggest you contact your healthcare provider.
