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Just
What Exactly Is Postpartum Depression?
By Sara
Duggan
Hello
my name is Sara and I am the proud Mommie of 2 beautiful boys. I
enjoy my job very much. I can say that now with much confidence,
but there was a time that I couldn’t. There was a time that I despised
being a Mommie. I can remember that just the touch of my children
sent me into a rage. This made me feel very sad and empty. Although
I had these negative feelings, somewhere deep inside of me I still
wanted, with all my heart to be the Mommie I was meant to be to
my two little boys. I didn’t know what was going on with me. I read
up on Postpartum Depression prior to the birth of my boys but what
I was going through did not match up to what I had read.
I
thought I would be a little flighty, weepy, and sad, but I also
thought that it would go away soon after it came. Another thing
I didn’t know is that Postpartum Depression can happen anytime within
the first year after the birth of your child. (I didn’t experience
postpartum depression with my second child until about 3months postpartum.)
Many
people, like myself, think they know what postpartum depression
is but, unless you have lived it, you will never know. Most women
experience the “baby blues” which is crying and a little mood swings.
They usually occur anywhere between 3 days to 2 weeks after she
has the baby. It soon subsides and she starts to feel like herself
again.
Postpartum
Depression is something completely different. It is like a deep
hole that you sink into and can’t get out of. It is feeling like
you are unworthy to be a mom or to be alive. It is feeling like
everything you say and do is wrong. It is not being able to care
for your hygiene needs or the needs of your baby. It is not being
able to get out of bed in the morning; the afternoon, the evening,
and pretty soon, you’re just not getting out of bed. It is thinking
that your children/husband/partner will be better off without you
in their life. It is wishing you did not have this baby to care
for. It is feeling like running away. It is angry outbursts and
loving caresses. It is not wanting to hold the baby, hear the baby,
or love the baby.
Sometimes
it is intense fear of going outside, paranoia, or fearing someone
is trying to take your child away from you. It could also be overly
obsessing over the cleanliness and health of you and your child,
to the point where you do not feed or care for the both of you properly.
Sometimes
someone may look like a “together” Mommie, doing all the “things”
she is supposed to be doing, but on the inside she is a wreck about
to explode. All of these and more go on inside the head of a Mommie
experiencing Postpartum Depression. More than likely, she is not
aware of these feelings or does not completely understand what is
going on inside of her. Is it normal? Should she tell someone? What
if they think she is crazy? Or worse, What if they think she is
a bad Mommie and take her baby away?
It is wise to note that PPD can happen anywhere from 3 days after
the baby is born to 1 year postpartum. A mom can do well for the
first 5 or 6 months postpartum and fall into a deep depression.
Also, if you have had PPD with previous pregnancies, there is a
chance that you will have it in subsequent pregnancies. Make sure
you let your care provider know if you have had PPD in the past
and they can curtail the symptoms before they cause deep depression.
There are medications available today that are safe to take while
breastfeeding. So don't let that keep you from taking care of you.
After all, if you take care of you, you'll be able to care for your
baby!
Although
this is a dark place, with help, the time you are in the "hole"
is lessened with medication and talk therapy things can and will
get better. PPD affects a lot more women than most are willing to
admit. It is very normal. It is a sickness and needs to be treated
right away at the first signs. For a preliminary test to see if
you are risk for Postpartum Depression, visit http://postpartumstress.com/ppd_risk__assessment_during.html
It is also helpful for husbands/partners to read the questions because
sometimes it is they who recognize the signs first. Contact your
doctor or therapist when you feel these symptoms. Sometimes all
you need is talk therapy and a support group. Other times medicine
may be necessary to get your hormones to balance out. For help online
go to http://www.ppdsupportpage.com
Another
illness likely to appear after the birth of the baby is Postpartum
Psychosis. This is a very dangerous disorder. It can occur from
3 days to about 2 weeks postpartum. Its symptoms include paranoia,
delusions, and hallucinations. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU GET THE
MOTHER TO A DOCTOR OR AN EMERGENCY ROOM. This is nothing to take
lightly. She could harm herself or others, including her children.
Having said all this, I would like to add, that PPD is very treatable.
The sooner it is noticed and treated the sooner the mom will feel
better. You can get past it. You can see the light at the end of
the "hole" and you can get out. I am an example of this.
One
more thing before I close, most women, about 80%, have baby blues
and they go away within 2 - 3 weeks. Some even experience a heightened
time of awareness and clearness. They feel Good and Happy with Mommiehood.
Something
that you may want to keep in mind when preparing for the birth of
your child is a Postpartum Doula. What is a Postpartum Doula you
may be asking? Well, it is someone specially trained to support,
encourage, and educate the Mommie during her postpartum period.
You can check out the National association of Postpartum Care Services
NAPCS for recommended certified doulas.
A
postpartum doula will provide the Mommie with physical support,
emotional support and household support. Unlike the Baby nurse,
who is there for the babies needs, a Postpartum Doula is there for
the Mommie. However, Postpartum Doula's do not diagnose medical
conditions for the Mommie or the baby, but they will refer them
to a healthcare provider. Postpartum Doula’s do not take over the
care of the baby, but assists the Mommie, in learning to care for
her and her baby's needs.
To
better understand the differences between the “baby blues”, “Postpartum
Depression” and Postpartum Psychosis, visit http://www.geocities.com/mommie_care/defineppd.html
where you will find my Definition of Terms.
Sara Duggan is the proud Mommie of Noah and Jonah. She is the wife
of Terrence, her best friend. She owns MommieCare, a place for Mommies
to turn to when they need information or products to enable them
be the BEST they can be. She is a Volunteer Doula and plans on opening
a Volunteer Postpartum Doula Practice in the Near Future. For more
information click
here
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