Thanks to the honesty of stars such as Brooke Shields, Hayden Panettiere, and Drew Barrymore, postpartum depression (PPD) now shows up more in the news. While the increased discussion is great, many moms still may not understand what the disorder is and how it can affect them.
PPD is a mood disorder that affects mothers in the weeks and months after the birth of a baby. Normal baby blues – the hormonal shift after birth that results in crying, uneasiness, and mood swings – should dissipate within two weeks. After that point, any lingering, worsening, or drastic changes in mood may indicate that a woman is experiencing postpartum depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or another perinatal mood or anxiety disorder. Additionally, while perinatal mood and anxiety disorders can start after that initial hormonal shift, PPD can start any time during the baby’s first year. (Jenna Hatfield)
If you believe that you are suffering from PPD, please reach out to someone you can trust and speak to them about what you are experiencing. There is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. Every mom goes through dark days when it seems like we will never see the light again, especially soon after childbirth. And that is OK… Sometimes we just need a hand to hold through it all, and a kind ear to listen to our story!
Facts & Figures of PPD
Source: Fix.com Blog
Signs & Symptoms of PPD
Source: Fix.com Blog
Tips on Coping with PPD
Source: Fix.com Blog
Finally. Parenting is not easy! It is the most difficult (yet rewarding!) job on the face of this planet. Moms need an award for just getting up in the morning! Whatever we are feeling, we are doing a great job! PPD can be dealt with!
Thank you so much for raising awareness on such an important but forgot about issue.
I think its important to help de-stigmatize PDD and help everone know they arent alond when trying to deal with it.
Thanks,
Sarah
It definitely is a topic that needs more conversation time!! X
Beautiful post my friend! Perfectly said xxx
Thank you !! :)
This is such an informative and important post on a topic that needs to be talked about openly. I will happily share this post to my community to raise awareness and reduce any stigma that is attached to PPD. #bloggerclubuk
That would be great! And you are so right, PPD needs to be acknowledged and spoken about freely! X
Yes it’s important to raise awareness about PPD. Any new mum would feel some of the symptoms described there, but I don’t think it necessarily means she is depressed! We need to be careful with labels.
https://thefrenchiemummy.com/2016/05/18/finding-happiness/
Here is my full opinion of the matter, please feel free to comment.
Dear Frenchie Mummy, thank you so much for engaging in conversation. It is always good to hear people’s opinions. I certainly agree with you that almost all new moms experience some of the symptoms described in my post above, and that this does not necessarily mean they suffer from PPD (so yes, let’s not be alarmist). However, if a new mom’s struggle continues, or worsens, then it would be prudent for her to seek help. This is the point my post makes… And, incidentally, so does yours when you say: “Let’s be clear: I am not saying that we should overlook PPD signs and ignore them. Au contraire, if you feel the symptoms are increasing, ask for help from a professional or your family.” I suspect we are saying the same thing in different words. My post leaned heavily on a statement by Jenna Hatfield, who said: “… the hormonal shift after birth that results in crying, uneasiness, and mood swings should dissipate within two weeks. After that point, any lingering, worsening, or drastic changes in mood may indicate that a woman is experiencing postpartum depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), or another perinatal mood or anxiety disorder”.
Dear jaxbest4, thanks for your comment. We are definitely saying the same thing here. I just wanted to underline that it’s normal to sometimes feel hormonal shifts still after two weeks and not be depressed or experiencing an OCD. Lots of people ‘scan’ posts and don’t read fully what it says. The image with PPD signs is very minimalist and could be misunderstood.
Thank you so much for this insightful and compassionate post! As a proud husband and father, it is my honour to support my wife and be aware of the struggles she may face… This post creates awareness in a gentle but honest way, and it will help dads everywhere to be sensitive to the potential for PPD. Thank you!
Thank you for commenting! A husbands support for me would be the most important aspect of recovery! x
Great post, raising awareness of PND is so important. It is talked about more, but there’s still so many women out there afraid of asking for help, or not realising that they need help.
Thanks for linking up to #BloggerClubUK :)
Debbie
Absolutely! Conversation creates awareness! x
I think this is a fab post, the more awareness the better, I had no clue and had this along with PTSD after having my son and it too me a year to properly come through and realise ow hard I had fought, I was to busy worrying what people would think, or not to make a fuss, or that everyone must feel the same…Its important to talk about how you feel even just to a friend with a cuppa xx #abrandnewday
Thank you for being honest about your experience Jade! Having someone to talk to is so important! x
[…] wrong? You ask yourself. How on earth did I find myself here? Although I’ve never experienced Post Partum Depression, I can totally understand the overwhelming feeling of not being in control. Sometimes we feel like […]