Postpartum Mental Health
Postpartum is a term used to refer to the period after a baby arrives. It’s also a word that most folks immediately connect with the word depression, it is believed that they are one in the same. In fact if you google postpartum, you’ll immediately be bombarded with all kinds of topics related to postpartum mental health topics. Because postpartum is a very delicate time, one where hormones are adjusting, your body is healing, and identity is shifting into parenthood we as Doulas want you to know the important differences between all things postpartum mental health.
First a few facts: 1 in 7 Moms (or people who identify as such) and 1 in 10 Dads (or people who identify as such) suffer from Postpartum Depression. 15-20% of women will experience more significant symptoms related to postpartum depression and other mood disorders. If you’re a Black woman, you’re more than twice as likely to have postpartum depression as white women. The rates here are staggering, but the further conversation we have around this delicate topic the more informed we can be in getting new parents the support they need.
Baby Blues:
-Occurs 4-5 days after birth, may be earlier
-Weepiness or crying for no apparent reason
-Feeling impatient or irritable
-Restlessness, anxiety, fatigue
-Insomnia, even if baby is asleep
-Sadness, mood changes, poor concentration
It’s important to note that Baby Blues typically doesn’t last longer than 2 weeks, 70-80% of people experience and there is no known cause. It may be linked to the swift hormonal changes affecting the brain.
Postpartum Anxiety:
-Constant worry
-Hard to sit still
-Feeling like something bad is always going to happen
-Racing or spiraling thoughts/forecasting
-Poor sleep + appetite
-Physical responses such as; nausea, hot flashes, shortness of breath, dizziness
Postpartum Depression:
-Lack of interest or desire to bond with baby
-Appetite or sleep disturbances, loss of hunger
-Crying, sadness, or overwhelming feelings that will not go away
-Feelings of guilt, shame, or hopelessness. “Nothing will ever get better.”
-Loss of interest or joy in things that you used to enjoy doing
-Possible thoughts of harming yourself or your baby
Postpartum Psychosis:
-Delusions or strange beliefs
-Hallucinations (Auditory or visual)
-Feelings of extreme irritation and hyperactivity
-Rapid mood swings
-Decreased need for sleep
-Communication becomes incredibly difficult
-Feeling/acting paranoid/suspicious
Postpartum OCD:
-A sense of horror about obsessions
-Fear of being left alone with the baby
-Sudden hypervigilance in protecting the baby
-Obsessions occur as intrusive thoughts that are persistent, repetitive, or mental images related to baby
-Compulsions where the parent may do certain things over and over again to reduce fears and the obsessions. Example: Needing to clean constantly, check things many times, count or reorder things.
-Persons with PP OCD know that their thoughts are bizarre and are very unlikely to act on them.
If at any time you feel like you’re struggling or moving through a set of the symptoms above please know that you can contact your provider and get support. You do not have to suffer in silence or in fear. There are incredible resources available to you to feel well again. Call the Postpartum International Helpline today at 1-800-944-4773.