Caring for mothers' postpartum emotions

Postpartum depression (PPD) is clinical depression that occurs following childbirth. It is characterized by symptoms that include sadness, irritability, difficulty bonding with your baby, insomnia, and loss of appetite. While it can be very serious, it is treatable and very common. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control Prevention report that approximately 1 in 8 women experience postpartum depression.

Postpartum depression tends to develop within several weeks of delivery.

Some experts feel the criteria to qualify for postpartum-onset should extend longer, perhaps up to six months after childbirth.

Symptoms of PPD may include the following

Change in weight or appetite
Crying
Depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure
Difficulty making decisions
Feelings of inadequacy
Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
Insomnia or hypersomnia
Loss of energy or fatigue
Problems with concentration
Restlessness or agitation
Sadness

Some people also experience suicidal thoughts.

Why postpartum depression?

Physiological factors

Disruption of hormone levels: increased prenatal steroid release and decreased postnatal steroid release.

Psychological factors

Personality characteristics of the mother.

Psychological preparation for childbirth.

Lack of knowledge about childbirth.

Lack of maternal role identity.

Social factors

Adverse birth outcomes.

Stressful stress during pregnancy.

Lack of family and social support after delivery.

Genetic factors

Family history of psychiatric disorders, especially in women with a family history of depression, has a higher incidence of postpartum depression.

How to prevent and treat postnatal depression

Create a healthy postpartum recovery environment

When you go home to recuperate from childbirth, reduce unnecessary social activities. Turn off your cell phone and create a quiet, relaxing and healthy environment for yourself to recuperate.

A light and nutritious postpartum diet

Eat nutritious and light food and enjoy the love and care from your family.

Eat foods that make you happy

Postpartum depression is not unrelated to nutritional imbalance caused by physiological changes. If nutrients such as manganese, magnesium, iron, vitamin B6 and vitamin B2 are not consumed sufficiently, it will affect the mental state.

Foods such as coarse grains, whole grains, malt, walnuts, peanuts, potatoes, soybeans, sunflower seeds, fresh green leafy vegetables, seafood, mushrooms and animal liver contain many of these nutrients that relieve tension and apprehension.

Eat more of them and let them help you find happiness and stay away from the postpartum blues.

Moderate exercise

Do the proper amount of household chores and physical exercise. This can not only divert attention from the baby or annoying things, but can also make the body automatically produce happy elements, making the mother's mood happy.

Sleep! Sleep! Sleep!

Postpartum mothers need to create every condition to get adequate sleep. Since there is a possibility of day and night reversal in the sleep of newborns, mothers may face staying up late. At this point, you need to take the time to sleep when your baby is asleep, even if close your eyes and rest.

Help and Help Seeking

On the one hand, family should not just immerse in the joy of the baby's birth and ignore the psychological changes of the mother, especially the new mother.

As family and friends of the new mother, you need to communicate more with the new mother and tell her the experience of childcare in time to avoid being overwhelmed, nervous and panic.

On the other hand, new mothers should also seek help from their husbands, family members and friends when they encounter difficulties.

Self-psychological adjustment

After having a baby, the new mother's values will change and her expectations of herself, her husband and her baby will be closer to reality, and even her view of life will become more realistic. Accepting all this frankly is beneficial to help new mothers get rid of negative emotions.

Empathy & Respect

Do something you like, such as reading a book, listening to music, etc., and forget about your worries in your own hobbies.

Couples should understand and communicate with each other. Don't keep your dissatisfaction inside.

Be brave to face and treat scientifically

If a new mother has symptoms of postpartum depression, she should take antidepressants under the guidance of a doctor in time, and do not take the harmful effects of depression lightly.

In short, postpartum depression is a mood disorder, a state of mind. It can be avoided by understanding the causes of the onset of depression and preventing it from many aspects.

"I hope that all mothers will have to be loved and protected, and I hope that society will give more attention and care to women, especially those during pregnancy and childbirth, to avoid the tragedy of postpartum depression."