Postnatal depression is fairly common, a lot of mothers will experience this within the first few weeks or months of having a child. Whether this is their first child or last, each mother equally has a chance of having it. But what exactly is this though? Well, it’s a form of depression that some women experience after giving birth. Women who have postnatal depression experience symptoms such as mood swings, anxiety, and insomnia.
It can be serious, but it’s fairly rare. A lot of soon-to-be-mothers have worries about dealing with this. Their hormones are already raging during pregnancy, and it’s going to completely shift after delivering the baby. While regular depression can be curved with a good diet and exercise, safe exercise and a good diet aren’t going to prevent postpartum depression. So, what is there to know about this form of depression? Continue reading on to find out.
How Exactly Does Postnatal Depression Happen?
Postnatal depression usually starts with intense feelings of sadness and hopelessness, which may be accompanied by irritability and anxiety. These feelings may be triggered by thoughts about the baby’s health or concerns about how to care for it. The symptoms can vary from person to person, but they typically last for six weeks or less.
So how and why does this happen? Well, it’s a mix between out-of-whack hormones and feeling overwhelmed about being a new parent. But this can also occur in fathers as well. Being a new parent is scary, it’s stressful, but at the same time, it’s beautiful.
When Should You Talk to Your Doctor about Postnatal Depression?
In order to prevent and treat this condition, it is important to talk about it with your doctor or even look for an obstetrician near me if you are experiencing any symptoms. Your doctor will be able to diagnose you and help you find the best treatment for your specific case. Usually, during pregnancy, your doctor will monitor this and they will especially monitor it after the delivery of the baby as well.
What are the Symptoms of PND?
As an expecting parent, it’s important to be completely aware of the symptoms that you may face. The sooner you detect them, the quicker you can get this checked out.
Symptoms of PND include:
– Feeling sad or anxious all the time
– Having trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
– Feeling hopeless and helpless
– Trouble concentrating and making decisions
Just keep in mind that it’s not just mothers that experience this, even the fathers of the newly delivered baby can be at risk as well. Being a new parent is overwhelming, so knowing the symptoms can truly help.
How Early Can You Detect PND Symptoms?
If you are pregnant, it is important to know the signs of postpartum depression (PPD which also stands for PND), and how early you can detect them. There are many signs that can indicate that a woman might be suffering from PPD (see symptoms above). While this usually hits right after the birth of the baby, it can still happen before the birth itself. While early detection of PND symptoms is crucial, it doesn’t necessarily mean the difference between life and death. But new parents deserve to feel happiness.
