How does depression occur after childbirth?
Why are about half of young women so depressed during the best period of their lives? This is the paradox of postpartum depression, for which experts must find the final solution and find out the problem. rapidly decreasing levels of estrogen and progesterone after childbirth can unleash depression, in the same way that hormonal exposure before menstruation can cause a similar reaction. The fact that the susceptibility to the effects of hormones is different in different women can explain why half suffer from postpartum depression, despite the fact that all women experience similar changes in hormone levels. There are many factors of a different kind that are likely to be involved in the onset of postpartum depression, which occurs around the third day after birth, but it can also occur in every period after birth during the first year. Postpartum depression is more likely to occur in women who give birth many times than the first time.
Change of position in the family. Your child is now number one star. Guests are more interested in the child than in your state of health (this change will accompany you as well at home). The pregnant princess now plays the role of Cinderella in the postpartum period.
Homecoming. It is not an unusual thing to oppress and overwork caused by duties that you must fulfill (especially when you have many children and you do not have enough extra help).
Fatigue. Overfatigue with difficult childbirth, too little sleep in the hospital in connection with caring for a child often overlaps with the feeling that you have not yet matured to motherhood.
Frustrated by the child. The child is so small, so red, so fat, without expression. Unlike smiling children from the advertisements you saw. The whole adds to depression.
Frustrated by childbirth or oneself. If in your case some unrealistic dreams of childbirth have not come true, then you may feel unhappy that it is your fault.
Feeling of fracture. Childbirth is a great event for which you were preparing, which you expected and now everything is behind us.
Lack of competence. Young mothers may ask themselves: “Why do I have a child if I am not able to take care of him?”
Location to your old self. Carefree life ended, the opportunity to make a career. All this went irrevocably after the birth.
Dissatisfaction with one’s appearance. You used to be fat and pregnant, now only fat. You cannot bear the wearing of things that you wore during pregnancy, but nothing else suits you.
Unfortunately, a little can be said about postpartum depression, perhaps the only thing is that it does not last very long, about 48 hours for most women. Therefore, it does not require treatment, except in those cases in which depression is prolonged. Below are ways to overcome postpartum depression.
If depression appears in the hospital, persuade the husband to order dinner for two and try to have lunch with her husband.
If the visits annoy you, then limit them. If they give you satisfaction, ask for a more frequent visit.
If staying in the hospital is so annoying, ask for an earlier discharge home.
Overcome fatigue by accepting the help of others, do not do things that may wait, rest when your child is sleeping.
Use the time of feeding to discharge, take care and, or feed the baby lying in bed or sitting in a comfortable chair with legs up.
Use a lactating mother’s diet to stay healthy and fit.
Avoid sugar (especially when combined with chocolate), as it can act as a factor in causing depression.
Allow me to persuade myself to take food outside the house, if this is not possible, then allow me to help myself, that is, let my husband prepare food or order food. Dress elegantly, create a mood, as is the case in restaurants with candlelight and light music.
Take care of your appearance. Look good and you will feel good. A whole day walking in a bathrobe, not
combed, can lead anyone to feel unwell. In the morning, before your husband goes to work, take a shower, comb your hair and do makeup. Buy yourself some pretty thing.
Get out of the house. Go for a walk with the baby, or if you can leave the baby with someone, get out yourself.
A set of physical exercises will help you drive away postpartum sadness, as well as get rid of sagging, which can increase your depression.
If you think that society will have a good effect on this “misfortune” of yours, then meet with the young mothers you know and share your feelings. If you do not have close women who have recently given birth, then try to establish new contacts (in the park, in the pool, with those women with whom you attended courses before childbirth), and whenever possible, meet as often as possible.
If your “trouble” requires treatment alone, then take care of this. although depression feeds on loneliness, some scholars deny this, precisely in relation to postpartum depression.
When guests visit you and sympathize with you, avoid them, as this only worsens your condition.
Do not treat your husband too cold. Consent in the postpartum period is immensely important for both of you (the husband may also succumb to postpartum depression, and may need you just like you do)
Postpartum depression extremely rarely requires pharmacological treatment. The need for this applies to one in a thousand women. If your depression lasts more than two weeks and is additionally accompanied by insomnia, a lack of appetite, a sense of hopelessness, and even thoughts of suicide, aggression against a child, consult a doctor.
The fact that you do not suffer from postpartum depression does not mean that this problem does not concern your family. Studies show that if a wife suffers from this type of depression, the husband is not at risk, while at the same time when the wife feels great, the possibility of depression in fathers / husbands dramatically increases. Therefore, make sure that your husband does not suffer from low mood (depression).