Postpartum depression – symptoms, causes and treatment

Mala Saluja felt blessed when she delivered a baby boy. She had waited for this moment for nine months, decorated the baby room with delight, spent many hours window shopping at the baby stores, talking to her baby bump yet when her little one finally arrived; she felt that something had gone amiss somewhere. She no longer felt connected to her baby and even felt disillusioned by what was happening around her. She had no clue what was happening to her, why she felt so low or even how to seek help. And sadly Mala isn’t alone; thousands of women share her condition which the medicos call postpartum depression. Also Read - Stress in expecting mothers impact baby: Herbs to relieve stress during pregnancy

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Every woman suffers from some degree of baby blues post delivery. A prolonged phase of the aforementioned symptoms can signal the onset of postpartum depression. This isn’t healthy either for the mother or the baby. Read on to find out more about the condition. Also Read - Late Pregnancy: Planning to get pregnant in 40s? Here are the probable complications

Could ‘baby blues’ be the first warning sign of postpartum depression?

‘Almost all women who undergo the stress and strains of pregnancy and labour face the wrath of baby blues to some extent or the other after delivery,’ says Dr Syeda Ruksheda family psychiatrist and psychoterapist, Mumbai. Suffering from baby blues is very different from suffering from postpartum blues or depression. ‘Pregnancy, labour and childbirth is like an emotional rollercoaster ride for a woman, add to it the physical demands of those whole nine months, suffering from baby blues isn’t an unnatural thing for new mothers,’ says Dr Ruksheda. It is estimated that one in eight new mums suffer from baby blues globally. The symptoms of baby blues are so generic that one can give it away as post delivery stress. You probably are suffering from blues if you are:

Feeling irritable
Suffer from lack of concentration
Experience sleep abnormality and you are also sleep deprived
Feel exhausted and fatigued
Have lack of motivation to take care of your child.

While baby blues sets in after delivery and lasts for the initial two weeks, proper rest and help can often get a new mum out of this situation. ‘What is more concerning is the fact that if a mother fails to get help and support, this can then escalate into postpartum blues or depression,’ cautions Dr Ruksheda.

It’s a sad state of affairs with new mums who fail to receive requisite help and things accelerate to horrendous proportions. In the recent past many reports have come to light where the mother who bore and birthed the child killed the new life unable to keep up with the demands of newborn care and attention. What these mothers needed was adequate help and counseling to pull out of the postpartum depression.

‘About 15 percent of women suffer from postpartum depression, but few end up getting requisite help from the right direction. Though not all women who suffer from postpartum depression end up with severe mental condition but till it lasts it can have severe consequences on the health of the mother and that of the baby,’ says Dr Ruksheda. Untreated postpartum depression can also stay and reflect in the mother’s behaviour for a year or more after the birth and delivery.

Read more about causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of depression.

What causes postpartum depression?

Though experts have not been able to pinpoint a single factor that can give rise to postpartum depression it is believed that a combination of factors like hormonal, biochemical, physiological, environmental and genetics work in conjunction to make one prone to postpartum depression. But there are other reasons that could lead to the depression as well:

Pregnancy blues: ‘Prolonged period of emotional distress during pregnancy can give rise to a number of serious mental conditions postpartum. That’s one reason why it is advised to pregnant women to stay happy and joyous during pregnancy,’ says Dr Ruksheda, mentioning that 50 percent of the symptoms of postpartum depression start during pregnancy.

Early pregnancy: If one isn’t in a stable mind and good health to embrace pregnancy it could set a stage for the blues to set in and stay longer post childbirth and delivery.

Multiple pregnancies: If you had a painful delivery and labour coupled with anxiety and panic attacks during pregnancy you are bound to face the bouts of depression. A subsequent pregnancy will only add to the stress and up the chances of the condition haunting you even more.

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What are the symptoms of postpartum depression?

The symptoms of postpartum depression are again so common that one might just ignore them as trivial issues, but they add to maternal stress and disrupt the wellbeing of the newborn. ‘Often women might not reach out for help as they are advised by the elders in the family that this phase will pass soon. Also physicians would recognise the symptoms as panic attacks and hence the underlying issue of depression goes unnoticed and remains untreated,’ says Dr Ruksheda. You might be suffering from postpartum depression if apart from the symptoms of baby blues you notice the following symptoms persisting for more than two weeks:

Constant fear and anxiety: This is very common in women who aren’t able to get over the baby blues on their own. ‘Such women nurse a feeling of not being able to take good care of the child along with adequate affection and love, even though they want to do the same. This in turn also adds up to the guilt quotient and further worsens the condition,’ informs Dr Ruksheda. Women suffering from postpartum depression also harbor a constant fear that they might harm their child in some way or the other.

Sleeplessness: Though sleep is always said to elude a new mother, sleeplessness even when you should have time to sleep can indicate a sign of depression. ‘If you aren’t able to sleep even after being tired taking care of your newborn, breastfeeding, consoling your baby’s untimely cries, take it as a warning sign,’ says Dr Ruksheda. Get help on dealing with your sleep troubles during pregnancy and postpartum.

Have suicidal tendencies: If you have even the slightest feeling of harming self you should understand that it’s time to seek help.

Have trouble enjoying your usual activities: If spending time with your newborn isn’t helping you, try to give some time to activities that give you joy like reading or listening to music. If even those activities can’t make you feel lively and happy with your newborn, something ought to be wrong somewhere. Get tips to bond with your newborn better.

Feel restless and irritable: If you are feeling restless and irritable 24/7 without any rhyme or reason it’s time you got yourself some professional help.

How can one cope with postpartum depression?

Postpartum depression can range from mild, moderate to severe. While one can effectively manage the onset of this depression to ward off its prolonged effect, but if it turns to be severe, proper medical and professional help would be necessitated. To save yourself from the wrath of postpartum depression, try these simple solutions:

Don’t expect too much out of yourself: Remember coping with the demands of a newborn life can go haywire, so go slow on youself. It’s okay if your house is a mess, if you have piles of laundry to do, your culinary skills have gone for a toss, and you have lost sense of night and day. This is expected. Stop being that perfect modern day woman for a while and concentrate your energies on self and baby.

Sleep often: Whether your labour went according to your plan or you needed an emergency medical intervention, don’t fret about it now. Sleep with your baby whenever possible to give your body proper rest to recuperate from the strains of labour to fight the blues.

Eat well and stay fit: ‘We hardly understand the importance of eating right and exercise in our life. But following a balanced diet with some mild exercises can also help to fight the blues, says Dr Ruksheda. If exercise is not a viable option, take a small stroll with your baby outdoors. A gush of fresh air and change of environment can go a long way in helping one recover from the blues.

Get your support system in place: Educate your partner about the postpartum troubles and tantrums too. So that one knows what to expect and how to deal with it post birth. ‘For some reason our Indian tradition which allows the new mom to stay at her maternal home for 40 days post delivery helps to fight depression. This helps the mother to get adequate rest and shrug off the guilt of not concentrating on household chores with the added responsibilities of newborn care,’ says Dr Ruksheda.

Sought medical help: If you have noticed severe symptoms of depression then reach out for a counseling or therapy ASAP. ‘In most cases counseling can help one fight the signs of depression but if that fails medications would be prescribed to treat the condition. People are generally reluctant to take medication for depression postpartum, but one should know that the symptoms of the depression are more harmful to the baby than medications for depression,’ explains Dr Ruksheda.

How does postpartum depression affect the baby?

Unlike popular belief postpartum depression doesn’t interfere with the bonding of the mother and baby. ‘Because a mother doesn’t want to take care of the baby doesn’t mean she isn’t in love with her child. But the symptoms of the depression are so overpowering that it can overshadow the eternal love. Hence if the feeling of blues escalates it can then be an alarming situation,’ informs Dr Ruksheda. A child who faces the consequences of maternal depression can have delayed development of vocal skills, be more restless, cranky and may be more prone to have anxiety disorder in future. So even if not for self, it makes sense to get treated for postpartum depression for the sake of the child.

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