What are the baby blues?
As a result of the hormonal havoc, 80% of women get the “baby blues”. Usually, 2 to 3 days after delivery, new moms may begin to feel depressed, anxious, upset, and frustrated. It may start out as crying for no reason, not being able to sleep, eat or think clearly, all leading to think there is no way to care for your new bundle of joy. The postpartum blues is temporary and manageable whereas severe postpartum blues put women at risk for the more concerning postpartum depression.
How do you know you have postpartum depression vs just being exhausted and anxious?
The “4th Trimester” also known as the postpartum period can be overwhelming physically and emotionally. As a result of the hormonal havoc, 80% of women get the “baby blues”. Usually, 2 to 3 days after delivery, new moms may begin to feel depressed, anxious, upset and frustrated. It may start out as crying for no reason, not being able to sleep, eat or think clearly, all leading to think there is no way to care for your new bundle of joy. But unlike postpartum depression, the blues get better within days or 1 to 2 weeks after delivery. The pregnancy blues are temporary and resolve within weeks of delivery.
Affecting 10-15% of women, postpartum depression makes all the desperate feelings more intense and debilitating to a point where you are unable to perform your daily routine including caring for your baby. The main symptoms can include severe mood swings, intense irritability and anxiety, panic attacks, overwhelming sadness, uncontrollable crying, loss of appetite, inability to sleep, feeling inadequate as a mother, thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, feeling suicidal or wanting to die. Symptoms associated with this incapacitating depression can continue for a year after having a baby.
Are there signs during the last few appts that a pregnant woman may be more susceptible to baby blues?
Those women who are more susceptible to experience the baby blues include women with a history of depression or other mental disorder, unplanned pregnancies, feeling doubtful or insecure about being a mother, excessive fatigue or fear about the delivery and having unsupportive partners.
Towards the end of pregnancy, pregnant women may act and show their insecurities with some of these risk factors closer to their due date. I tend to see more tears, more questions, more anxiety closer to 40 weeks.
What are some lifestyle habits to help you deal with the baby blues?
I remind women to do your very best to eat well and regularly, drink 12-8 oz glasses of water each day, sleep or nap 7 to 8 hours daily, practice relaxation techniques such as mindfulness and meditation, and ask for help from your partner and close family members. You are not in this alone. Every day will get a little better as will your confidence in handling your newborn.
What do you tell your patients who don’t feel “normal” after 2 weeks?
I reassure patients at the 2 weeks postpartum visit that as a result of the hormonal changes and nuances of having a newborn that this is the most difficult time in caring for your newborn. Time, patience and understanding is the key to getting through this difficult period. The first 3 months are the most trying but reinforce it will get better with time. Challenging is normal and that is the message I want to convey to new moms.
What do you say to your patients who may be worried that they are a “bad mom” for feeling this way?
For one thing, there is no such thing as a “bad mom”. Having a new born and knowing what to do is challenging and a steep learning curve. I reassure new moms over and over so they understand they are not alone feeling inadequate as new moms.
How do you know you have postpartum depression vs just being exhausted and anxious?
If the depression continues beyond 2 weeks after delivery it can be the beginning of postpartum depression.
Affecting 10-15% of women, postpartum depression makes all the desperate feelings more intense and debilitating to a point where you are unable to perform your daily routine including caring for your baby. The main symptoms can include severe mood swings, intense irritability and anxiety, panic attacks, overwhelming sadness, uncontrollable crying, loss of appetite, inability to sleep, feeling inadequate as a mother, thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, feeling suicidal or wanting to die. Symptoms associated with this incapacitating depression can continue for a year after having a baby.
What is the ONE main difference between baby blues and PPD?
Unlike postpartum depression, the blues get better within days or 1 to 2 weeks after delivery. The pregnancy blues are temporary and resolve within weeks of delivery. PPD continues after 2 weeks and tends to get worse with time.
If you had postpartum depression with your first pregnancy, is it guaranteed you’ll get it with subsequent pregnancies?
If you have had a history of postpartum depression, this puts you at risk for getting it again during future pregnancies. The good news is just because you had it once doesn’t mean you will get it in future pregnancies.
Is there anything you can do with a second pregnancy to either keep postpartum depression at bay or look out for symptoms to conquer them early on?
If you have a history of postpartum depression during your first pregnancy, there are preventative steps you can take during future pregnancies to avoid going through it a second time. Seeing a therapist throughout the pregnancy is the first step in taking control of your emotions. It’s important to establish a support team who will help you be successful avoiding the dark days associated with depression. The team should include your partner, therapist, and healthcare provider. This high-risk group of women may also want to recruit their best friend, sister or mother to help them navigate this emotionally terrifying time. Women suffering from this type of depression need to acknowledge and be communicative on how they are feeling and use their support team regularly.
Taking good care of yourself by eating healthy, sleeping 7 to 8 hours per night and exercising 5 times a day for 30 minutes also helps keep your mind sharp and emotions more stable.
Additionally, antidepressants may need to be started at 36 weeks of pregnancy in order to get adequate blood levels in a women’s system to ward off uncontrollable emotions once the baby is born.
The best offense is a good defense!
How can a woman, and her partner, cope with postpartum depression the second time?
Through medication, psychotherapy and support, a woman and her partner will survive postpartum depression. Vital to that survival is an open and honest communication with your partner and family. If you or your loved one experience signs of depression and withdrawal, it’s imperative to seek out help as early as possible with your health care provider.
You and your partner need to be educated on the signs and symptoms of postpartum depression and know how avoid the triggers that lead to the darkest and most uncontrollable days.
Should you have a second baby if you’ve had postpartum depression with your first child?
Having a history of postpartum depression should never deter you from getting pregnant again. I do believe it’s possible to avoid it in future pregnancies as long as you adequately prepare yourself on ways to avoid the triggers of this emotional rollercoaster.
What are the treatment options for women with postpartum depression?
Treatment includes a combination of drugs including antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications and psychotherapy. It may take 3 to 4 weeks for medications to start working and help manage the unbearable and disruptive symptoms of postpartum depression. And the good news is you can still continue to breastfeed safely while on these medications. Keeping your postpartum routine and bonding rituals with your baby is vital in the treatment process.
Practicing relaxation techniques such as mindfulness are beneficially mentally and physically. The more you practice mindfulness meditation the better control you have using it when it is needed the most.
Yoga, acupuncture and massage are other safe additions to your treatment plan for postpartum depression.
As always, exercise regularly, drink plenty of water, sleep well, reduce stress, create a support team including your partner, BFF’s, family and an experienced therapist.
Above all don’t feel guilty about having depression! Negative and harmful thoughts will set you back.
How can my diet help with postpartum depression?
Eating well during the postpartum period can help support a healthier mood and reduce anxiety. Eating small and regular meals that are high in complex carbohydrates, essential fats and protein helps stabilize blood sugars. When the feel-good chemical serotonin is low, it affects low mood and anxiety, so by increasing the level of serotonin will help your recovery. Serotonin cannot be produced in the body without tryptophan, which is contained in the following foods:
- Turkey
- Cottage Cheese
- Bananas
- Spinach
- Pineapple
- Mung Beans
- Asparagus
- Sunflower Seeds
- Tofu
- Flaxseed Oil
- High Quality Eggs
- Lobster
Other foods that can help your mood are:
- Chicken
- Salmon
- Sardines
- Tuna
- Nuts
- Oats
Nutritionists suggest meals like these:
- Half an avocado on rye toast
- A thumb sized piece of cheese with an apple
- Either of the honeys spread thinly on 3 rice cakes with some nut butter or tahini
- Ask another friend to make you a soup with the root veg, garlic, onions, ginger and ingredients you like- add some wheat free pasta each time you heat up a bowl
- Porridge made with oat milk or water and a teaspoon of honey for sweetness, you may like to add some seeds to this
- A jacket sweet potato with hummus
- Wheat free pasta with olive oil and seeds stirred through with organic cheese grated over the top
- Half and avocado with seeds
- Rye bread with honey and organic cheese
- A handful of nuts and seeds or just seeds – putting seeds into a hot frying pan for a few minutes make them very tasty
- A boiled organic egg on rye bread toast
- A baked apple with or without honey and a handful of heated seeds
