Maternity Blues and Postpartum Depression
After a woman gives birth and returns home, a period of important changes starts that sometimes doesn’t correspond with what the new mother had imagined. This can lead to what’s called “maternity blues” or postpartum depression.
As a new mother, you have to adapt to your new life. There’s a new member in the family, and all the habits and routines that you hadn’t even considered would change, do.
Although the pregnancy was desired and you love your child more than anything in the world, the physical, hormonal, and psychological changes this period causes may lead to conflicting emotions.
It’s important to know to what extent this is normal and when to seek professional help. Therefore, it’s crucial for you to go to your postpartum checkups to handle all of this.
Maternity blues
Maternity blues, postpartum dysphoria, or baby blues is an emotional state that occurs between the third and fifth day after delivery, as a result of the hormonal and psychological changes typical of this stage.
This condition causes mood swings, fear, sadness, unexplained crying, anxiety, irritability, and feelings of despair. In conclusion, a feeling that your world is going to fall apart.
The duration of this emotional state is about ten days. After this time, the symptoms will disappear without any psychological therapy or drug treatment. The necessary “treatment” is to receive proper support and foster the emotional bond with your newborn. Several studies suggest that breastfeeding decreases the risk of suffering maternity blues.
Postpartum depression
Some of the women who suffer from maternity blues may develop postpartum depression. Postpartum depression causes more serious symptoms. These symptoms manifest in patients: apathy, lack of pleasure in the things you used to enjoy, fatigue, changes in appetite, insomnia or hypersomnia, psychomotor activation or retardation, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, decreased concentration, decreased ability to make decisions and, in the most serious cases, thoughts of death.
In this regard, this condition lasts longer than two weeks and affects the mother’s ability to go about her day and take care of her baby. This condition needs to be evaluated and treated by a health professional.
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