Is postpartum depression in your future?
Welcoming a new child into the world can be a joyous experience, but depression, anxiety and even despair can sometimes overshadow.
Postpartum depression affects mothers in a variety of ways, including mood swings, agitation, tearfulness, confusion and fatigue. Is there any way to know if “baby blues” is in an expectant mom’s future?
How common is postpartum depression?
“About 80% of women after delivery will experience some sort of mood change,” explains Dr. Callie Cox Bauer, an obstetrician and gynecologist at Aurora Health Care. “The baby blues are caused by hormonal changes in the first couple weeks after delivery.”
While many new mothers may face some form of depression, a smaller portion may face something even darker.
“Postpartum depression can be severe, even spilling into psychosis and thoughts of harming yourself and others, or having delusions,” Dr. Cox Bauer explains.
Postpartum depression is commonly experienced the first 10 days following the birth of a child, the fifth day can often be the most intense.
However, it’s impossible to predict whether you will experience the postpartum condition before you give birth since there are currently no biological indicators that suggest one new mother is more vulnerable than the next. Though, you may be more likely to experience postpartum depression if you have a previous history with depression or premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).
What should you do if you experience postpartum depression?
“The first thing is to reach out to your obstetrician,” says Dr. Cox Bauer. “It’s important to have those conversations so your obstetrician can help with intervention. I wouldn’t want anyone to go through it alone and try to treat it on their own. Medication management and therapy are the mainstay, and most helpful, treatments. We also are able to connect you with other resources, like social workers, to help navigate that specialized space.”
If you or someone you know is exhibiting signs of emotional distress, call or text the suicide & crisis lifeline at 988.
