Combating with Postpartum Mood Disorders

Depression After Delivery, Inc.--a national support organization for new mothers--reports 75 percent of mothers experience postpartum blues. Furthermore, it reports 20 percent of mothers experience more serious disorders, such as postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety and postpartum psychosis.

“For some women, emotional fluctuations are mild and decrease within a few weeks,” says Janet Whalley, coauthor of “Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn” (Meadowbrook Press). “Other women experience overwhelming, long-lasting and serious illnesses.”

If a new mother experiences any symptoms of postpartum mood disorders, she should contact her physician for a screening. These symptoms may include overwhelming sadness, anxiety, loss of appetite, insomnia or lack of interest in the child.

In mild cases, several steps can be taken at home to prevent or treat postpartum blues. Whalley recommends six immediate lifestyle changes for new moms:

Eat well.
Avoid alcohol, caffeine and over-the-counter sleep medications.
Exercise regularly.
Spend time in sunlight. Sunlight or artificial equivalents often make you feel good and decrease the possibility of seasonal affective disorder.
Take time for yourself.
Get adequate rest and sleep.

“The best way the father and family can help a woman with a postpartum mood disorder is by encouraging her to get treatment,” says Whalley. “Find ways to make sure she gets rest and sleep, by helping with housework and by providing support and love.”

Resources:

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