The birth of a child is one of the most important and happy moments in the life of every woman. But not always this event is accompanied only by joyful emotions. Not every mother copes with the responsibility associated with the appearance of the child. Therefore, a woman must learn to cope with depression.
The concept of postpartum depression
Postpartum depression is a mentally unstable condition of a woman that occurs after childbirth or unsuccessfully completed pregnancy. Such a diagnosis is made 10-15% of mothers.
At the initial stage, the depressive state of a woman is safe, but if not treated, it can turn into a serious illness. The depressed state is transmitted to the child and affects its physical development.
The main task of a woman after the birth of a child is not to let yourself get discouraged and lose interest in life. When you detect the first symptoms of postpartum depression, you need to immediately eradicate them and enjoy motherhood.
The reasons
Almost every woman is prone to postpartum depression. But first of all it affects those who had the following problems before pregnancy:
- Psychological disorders;
- The absence of a loved one near;
- Health problems.
Based on the foregoing, it is possible to identify the main causes of postpartum depression. These include:
- Hard labor;
- Unwanted pregnancy;
- Maternal or newborn disease;
- Disorders and negativity in the family;
- Single mother status;
- Rebuilding life before and after the baby.
Every expectant mother expects that after the appearance of the child in her mother's feelings will immediately wake up. Unfortunately, this does not happen immediately, so the woman is disappointed and depresses herself with the thought that she is a bad mother.
Remember, it takes time to establish emotional contact with the baby. Be patient.
Postpartum depression affects not only women. Fathers are subject to such ailment. According to statistics, 1 out of 25 fathers is experiencing depressive symptoms.
Symptoms
The first 10-15 days after giving birth a woman experiences weakness, fatigue. She has a changeable mood and this phenomenon is quite normal. If within two weeks the symptoms go away, there is no talk about postpartum depression. It lasts longer - on average a few months. If you do not go to a psychologist in time and do not start treatment, postpartum depression can become a common depression. Indeed, not only months but also years will separate it from birth.
Postpartum depression does not necessarily begin with the discharge of the woman and the child from the hospital. It can start at any time within one year. Regardless of how many children are in women, depression can occur both after the first birth and after any subsequent ones.
The main symptoms of postpartum depression are:
- Mood swings, irritability, constant bad mood;
- Not enough energy, low performance;
- Fallen interest in the world and favorite affairs;
- Sleep problems: both sleepiness and insomnia;
- Appetite completely disappears or increases sharply;
- There is no desire to communicate with other people;
- It is difficult to concentrate on one case and to keep attention;
- There are scary thoughts. For example, harm yourself or a child;
- It becomes almost impossible to care for a child.
The above symptoms appear consistently and collectively. Therefore, often postpartum depression simply do not notice.
Depression does not fit into the general concept of the birth of a baby. After all, a woman should rejoice at what gave birth to a child and experience happiness. If a woman is depressed, then motherhood becomes a burden for her. As a result, phrases are added to the basic feeling of guilt that she "cannot cope" and "the wrong mother."
In addition, the surrounding does not support a woman. On the contrary, they say that she only complains and does not rejoice in any way, although in fact she should shine with happiness. This significantly aggravates both depression and its symptoms.
Types of postnatal depression
In the postpartum period, a woman may experience psychological and emotional disorders, which are divided into the following types:
- Melancholy;
- Psychosis;
- Depression.
Melancholy - A common psychological disorder that is experienced by 50-60 percent of women after the birth of a baby. Experts claim that due to hormonal disruption and changes in the emotional background, the occurrence of melancholia is a natural phenomenon.
Depression occurs a few days or weeks after delivery. Its symptoms are similar to the manifestations of melancholy, but they are more intense and painful. A woman becomes unable to perform daily affairs and does not cope with maternal duties. There are a number of moms who claim that being in postpartum depression could not control their emotions.
Psychosis is a collective term that refers to severe psychotic disorders. They occur in the first few months after birth. But it should be noted that psychosis is quite rare - about one woman per 1000 newly-made mothers.
Mothers with psychological disorders lose the ability to distinguish fictional events from real ones. They have sound hallucinations, patients hear voices that order them to perform some action. Under the influence of psychosis, a person becomes dangerous for himself and his child.
Treatment Methods for Postpartum Depression
At the initial stage of postpartum depression, a woman can try to cope with the symptoms herself. But if the situation gets out of control, you can resort to the following methods:
- Meditation;
- Psychotherapy;
- Special breathing technique;
- Art therapy;
- Drug therapy;
- Hypnosis.
Mom who has been found to be depressed should take up by meditation. This is nothing complicated and you can hold sessions at home. If there is no willpower, then you can cope with depressive mood in special clubs for mothers, where they conduct auto-training and meditation.
To get rid of depression, mom can usepsychotherapy.Friends, parents or husband are the home doctor. If, after having spoken to them, the state of the mother has not improved, then you can seek help from professional psychotherapists.
The following drugs are included in the treatment of postpartum depression with drugs:
- Mood stabilizers - drugs that improve mood;
- Tranquilizers - drugs that have a calming effect. They are used to suppress fear, anxiety, etc .;
- Antidepressants - psychotropic drugs affecting the level of serotonin in a woman's body.
Drug treatment of postpartum depression is extremely rare. Especially drugs are prohibited for mothers whose babies are breastfed. The composition of the medication includes harmful components that are dangerous to the health of the child.
Another effective treatment for depressive illness isart therapy.To forget about the problems and bad mood, mom can do:
- Music;
- Dancing;
- Drawing;
- Singing.
A woman can convey on the canvas all her emotions. Thanks to the active movements of the dance, oxygen will flow into the blood and the mood will rise.
With the help of hypnosis, the causes of the depressive state are neutralized.
If the depression is really serious, at the initial stage it is recommended to conduct a drug treatment. To completely eliminate the symptoms of depression, drugs will need to be taken for at least 3 months.
How to cope with postpartum depression yourself?
To cope independently with postpartum depression, a woman will need a lot of rest. For example, sleep at least 8 hours a day, exercise regularly, eat right. Despite the fact that most of the time is routine work, do not give up entertainment. Do not ignore the opportunity to take a walk in the fresh air, swim in water, to bring positive moments to life.
Create a calendar of important affairs and schedules and try to follow it. Ask family and friends to call regularly. In no case do not isolate from the outside world, because this will further aggravate the situation. Get as much sunlight as possible. Remove the curtains from the windows and go out as much as possible. Do not drink caffeine and alcohol.
Participate in any social groups for mothers, talk at children's playgrounds, as well as early development courses for children or while waiting for a pediatrician. Such seemingly simple recommendations will help get out of depression or prevent it.
Prevention of postnatal depression
The first thing a woman should do to prevent depression is not to forget about herself and her feelings. Secondly, try to rest more and spend time with your child. There are several other ways to prevent postnatal depression:
- Learn to calmly respond to what is happening around. A study of a group of scientists at an English university in 2017 proved that the kid responds better to a calm mother. If at least 15 minutes a day to relax (meditation, bathing, breathing practice), then it will be easier to cope with the stresses of motherhood.
- Sleep with your baby. Most young mothers have heard of such advice as sleeping when the child is sleeping. But most women do not follow advice, preferring to do household chores in their free time, cook dinner or surf the Internet while sleeping with a baby is very important. It helps relieve daily fatigue.
- Do sports. Women who perform any kind of exercise are psychologically more stable and socially open. This is not about serious training or anaerobic (power) exercises at home. To increase the blood circulation in the body and improve the condition of the body, it is enough to walk quickly along the street for 30 minutes.
- Take motherhood as the main work. We all know how tense the first months of work at a new place can be. So motherhood is the same, although it is not limited to hours, which is not very good. However, if motherhood is perceived as working with long-term goals and objectives, then managing energy and its resources will be much easier.
To prevent postpartum depression, mother should, first of all, concentrate on the child. Secondly, do not be afraid to ask for help from relatives, if it is difficult or something does not have time to do around the house. The baby requires a lot of attention and therefore do not worry if it is impossible to do what is planned. Tune in to positive and enjoy motherhood!
