Postpartum Depression: All About that Silent Sadness in a Time of Joy

Postpartum Depression

             ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THAT SILENT SADNESS THAT CREEPS IN WHEN YOU'RE REJOICING OVER THE BIRTH OF A NEW BABY

by Chrisluchy Initiative 

Postpartum depression, which is sometimes mistakenly called “Baby Blues” is a major issue that quite a number of people experience after child birth. Baby Blues has some similar symptoms, and sometimes, related to postpartum depression, but is actually different, and is simply that general mood of worries, sadness, and tiredness many women experience after giving birth. Postpartum depression is actually that prolonged serious mood disorder that sometimes lasts for weeks, months or even longer.

Symptoms

Childbirth is a period that normally should make you happy and joyous. But if you notice a combination of following feelings instead, lasting for a while, you are likely having Postpartum depression.

• Sleeping too little or too much
• Having trouble focusing or making decisions on anything
• Having memory problems and remembering only sad experiences
• Feeling worthless, guilty, or like a bad mother/father
• Losing interest or pleasure in activities you used to enjoy before
• Withdrawing from friends and family
• Feeling restless or moody
• Thinking of hurting the baby
• Having any thoughts of hurting yourself
• Hating the baby, not feeling connected to the baby, or feeling as if your baby is someone else’s baby
• Losing all energy or motivation, not from real weakness
• Eating too little or too much
• Feeling sad, hopeless, or overwhelmed
• Crying a lot
• Experiencing prolonged headaches, aches and pains, or stomach problems

 What Can Be done About Postpartum Depression?

It is universally accepted truth that when you understand the cause of a problem, you have solved it by 50%. But a study by Harvard Health has a bad news. It says that “We don't fully understand what causes postpartum depression… We also can't say for sure what makes a woman particularly vulnerable to postpartum depression.” This simply means that medical treatment cannot be fully reliable, as the same study added that “For most women, the symptoms go away without treatment, but about 20% of women will still have significant depressive symptoms after one year.”
So, what exactly should those having this problem do? Therapy and Medications are the standard options. But, like all depressions, antidepressants are the only medications, and even though some antidepressants have been said to be safe for breastfeeding mothers, that class of medicines are not good for a new baby. This leaves therapy as the best option.

there's always a way

Therapy, therefore should come in the form of preventive talks and discussion during pregnancy, and after child birth – both from your doctors and from trusted friends and family members (such as us at ChrisLuchy Initiative). We have collated some way to help you overcome this problem as follows:

• If you are feeling depressed during pregnancy or after having a baby, don’t suffer alone.
• Rest as much as you can. Sleep when the baby is sleeping.
• Don’t try to do too much or to do everything by yourself. Ask your husband, family, and friends for help with as much things.
• Join a support group, like the ChrisLuchy Initiative.  
• Make time to go out, visit friends, or spend time alone with your husband.
• Talk about your feelings with your husband, supportive family members, and friends (ChrisLuchy Initiative would always be there for you).
• Talk with other mothers so that you can learn from their experiences. There is a reason they are called “experienced mothers”.
• Discuss with your doctor or nurse about any concerns you might have, including resuming sexual activity and how you're adjusting to life with a new baby
• Don’t make any major life changing decisions after giving birth. More major life changes in addition to a new baby can cause unneeded stress. Sometimes big changes can’t be avoided. When that happens, try to arrange support and help in your new situation ahead of time.

Men Too, But in Silence!

While an estimated one in nine women may have it, between 4 to 25% of men experience what a BBC article called paternal postnatal depression (PPND). The article was surprised that “even to those in the medical field” does not know “that men can get PND, too“.  Yes, in that article, a doctor, who had practiced as a pediatrician for years did not know that men could suffer such too. He did not know he had it.  

Wow! So, next time you, as a man starts having or sees a man having any of the above listed feelings after the woman has put to bed, kindly note the popular saying amongst the Igbo people of the Southern Nigeria that whatever a nursing mother is craving for, the man that impregnated her also would like to have a taste too. The axiom fits quite perfectly into the fact that men also have postpartum depression, and therefore needs as much support and help as listed, if they have it.

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