It's a question with no clear answer. It's a question for everyone, including healthcare providers, families, friends and mothers. Why? Why? Paid leave, automatic support for postnatal health care and household chores and paid leave are all factors that reduce the incidence of Postpartum Depression (PPD). More info?
Women experience postpartum anxiety and PPD (Postpartum Depression) after childbirth. Yet, it has only been a few years since we began to discuss the problem. Marie Osmond is to be credited for her 12 year old appearance on Oprah, when she talked about PPD. This helped shed light on the problem. PPD and PPA were not known until then. In polite company, it was not a subject to be brought up. We all carried the image of "happy mommy and perfect baby". It was this image that made it more difficult for women to get the help they needed.
PPD can be viewed as a symptom of a number of diseases.
1. Exhaustion and Depression: There is no other physiological process as demanding as pregnancy. Most women have a baby at home and also need to care for other small children, and even their husband. They have a lot of needs, both day and at night. The babies require a lot of feeding, body contact, and soothing. Mothers will not sleep through the night if they are breastfeeding. The lack of sleep can lead to negative emotions. A mother can become exhausted from caring for her family and infant. In the case of a mother who had a c-section, her recovery is also impacted. It is important to treat exhaustion as well as depression.
2. Nutritional depletion: The baby's entire body is composed of nutrients from its mother. The placenta, too, is made of nutrients that are donated by the mother. The placenta draws nutrients from the bloodstream of a mother and transfers them to the fetus. Nature is programmed so that, if anyone has to go without for the sake new life, it's the mother. During childbirth, many women lose a lot of blood. Because blood is made up of nutrients, it further depletes mother's reserves.
It is evident from research that certain nutritional deficiencies (such as DHA or EPA, which are found in fish oils) may cause mood swings and depression. A lack of B vitamins is also a factor. Women who have just given birth can benefit from taking fish oils, a good multivitamin/mineral supplement and calcium/magnesium supplements. Most doctors recommend that mothers continue to take their prenatal vitamins several months after giving birth.
3. The Community:In times past, extended families would live together or near each other and a new mom could have all her needs taken care of while she rested to gain strength. Women who lived close by and relatives would cook for her family. They would also soothe her delicate emotions while she recovered. Today, many women do not have the support they once had. In the 1950s women who just gave birth spent an average of two weeks in the maternity department, bonding and resting with their newborn. In 48 hours, she's out of hospital.
Thousands of women have created websites to share their experiences and help other mothers. Women can share their experiences and fears, and what treatments and methods worked for them. Not all mothers with PPD or PPA are alone. These sites offer support, information and a community for both mothers and their family.
4. Health overviewA health overview is essential when considering PPD, whether it be as a symptom of disease or as a condition. Testing for hormones, adrenal stress index, and thyroid can provide health care practitioners with information that will help them decide on the best course of action to take in treating a mother who is suffering from either PPD or PPA.
5. Drug interventionWhile we tend to favor natural remedies, it is important that we know when and where drugs are appropriate. Mothers with PPD/PPA may have difficulty getting the relief they need from natural treatments. Medication can be a great help to them in the difficult stages of PPD/PPA. Women with postpartum schizophrenia may need to be on medication for the remainder of their lives. No mother should be forced to suffer. If you are taking medication for PPD or PPA, this should be part of a holistic treatment plan, which includes diet, physical activity, talk therapy, and vitamin supplementation.