Postpartum What??
When things are feeling unfamiliar after having a baby it can be difficult to know exactly what is going on. Is it baby blues? Is it Postpartum depression? Or is it just an adjustment to life? Postpartum can start and last anywhere between birth and 2 years of age of a child. Not knowing what is going on with our mental health can oftentimes cause hopelessness, dread, grief, and a loss of excitement for the future. So let's talk about some of the options!
Postpartum Blues (the baby blues)
75% of people will experience the baby blues but it is important to note that these symptoms only last for two weeks. Any symptoms that last beyond two weeks are not considered the baby blues. There is a usual peak in the baby blues 3-5 days after delivery.
Postpartum Depression
15% of people will be diagnosed with postpartum depression. Symptoms for this include fatigue, loss of appetite, uncontrollable crying, mood is gloomy, irritable, agitated or rageful. Low self esteem and high levels of guilt. Loss of interest, joy, or pleasure things you once found enjoyable. Insomnia is also very commonly associated with postpartum depression.
Perinatal Mood Anxiety Disorder
Or oftentimes referred to as postpartum anxiety. 11% of people will be diagnosed with postpartum anxiety. Symptoms include excessive anxiety/worry, ruminating thoughts, persistent thoughts, agitation, and irritability. Can oftentimes be determined by physical symptoms such as a high heart rate, shakiness, rapid breathing, and a feeling of tenseness. Ever heard of phantom cry? This is when you hear the cry of your baby when you are separated from them but they are not actually crying. Depending on the severity of the phantom cry and how frequently it shows up this can be a sign of postpartum anxiety or a more severe diagnosis.
Perinatal Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
2-3% of all parents will experience Perinatal OCD. Recurrent and persistent thoughts, urges, or impulses that are intrusive or unwanted. Common symptoms for perinatal OCD consist of: fear of deliberate harm, contamination, accidental harm, increase in religious rituals such as obsessively praying over the child or house, and obsessive checking such as checking the car seat, stove, or child's breathing. It is important to remember that if you are experiencing perinatal OCD that thoughts do not have to equal action. Thoughts are just thoughts.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
3-4 % of parents will experience ptsd after the birth of their child. This diagnosis is oftentimes comorbid with many other diagnoses. PSTD can come as a result of a traumatic birth, labor, loss or harm of the baby or parent. If symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, physical pains, severe guilt, depression or hopelessness persist for more than 1 month after the event please reach out to your provider for help.
Postpartum Psychosis
1 in 1,000 postpartum women will develop perinatal psychosis. This includes hearing voices, or seeing images that are not real. Symptoms also include poor concentration, agitation, lack of self care, rambling, delusions of grandiosity, and disorganized ideas. The greatest risk to this is during your first pregnancy and if mood stabilizers have been discontinued.
Risks for Postpartum:
If you are on a mood stabilizer and get off of it without talking to your provider when you get pregnant you are at a risk for postpartum depression.
Hormonal changes. This can occur when an abrupt discontinuation of breastfeeding happens. It is best advised to take two or more weeks to wean off of breastfeeding.
Lack of sleep
Lack of social support
Lack of follow up care. Please schedule and go to your 6 week postpartum follow up appointment. Advocate for yourself and be honest about what you have been feeling.
The #1 risk for fathers is having a partner who also has postpartum depression.
Suicide is the leading cause of death in maternal women. Risk factors for suicide consist of unwanted pregnancy, intimate partner violence, prior loss, and psychiatric illness. With any thoughts of death, or thinking your child/family would be better off without you please talk to your providers about suicidal ideation. Having these thoughts can be scary but there is help available. In an emergency please call or text the suicide hotline at 988. Or text HOME to 741741 to get in touch with your local mental health crisis hotline.
{TIP} - Care for Yourself How you Care for Your Child
White noise machine. Just like a fussy baby needs a white noise machine or the sound of running water to calm down, so do you. Use calming sounds to self-regulate when you are feeling overwhelmed, overstimulated, or like you need a break.
Change your scenery! If taking your crying baby outside to feel the fresh air does the trick, do the same for yourself. When you are feeling overwhelmed, change your scenery.
Movement over exercise. All you need to focus is getting movement in your day. Even if that means moving from the bedroom to the kitchen or from downstairs to upstairs just get in some movement.
Bedtime routine. We all know the magic of a good bedtime routine for a child but what about for ourselves? Whether that be running a hot shower or bath, a skin care routine, or even simply turning down the lights at the same time every night, a consistent bedtime routine can be a signal to our brain that its time to start winding down for a good night's sleep.
Eat to fullness. As your infant gets older oftentimes a nighttime feeding can be dropped but only if they have received enough calories throughout the day to keep them full throughout the night. Same goes for the parents. Make sure you are getting enough calories to perform your responsibilities for the day. You can meal prep, buy already prepared foods, or buy high protein snacks. Just as milk can calm a hungry baby, food can also be a calming tool for a parent.
Sleep in a dark comfortable environment. They say the best way to get your baby to sleep is to simulate the womb. For the baby you can do this by putting them in a dark cozy environment when it's time to sleep. Do the same for yourself. Sleep is vital to our mental health.
Activate all five senses! We are oftentimes very aware of the smells, fabrics, foods, lighting and sounds that will calm our baby down but what about ourselves? Using your senses as a tool for your mental health may be the game changer you’ve been looking for to keep yourself regulated during this new phase of life.
Ask for help. Find your village to help you raise your baby. It may be a family member or a neighbor. It may even be your local grocery store app for grocery pick up/delivery. If you are struggling to provide affordable meals for you and your baby please reach out to your local Women, Infants, and Children organization. They are eager to help not only with food but can oftentimes provide diapers, wipes, and even formula.
Social Support - Out of the Box Ideas
Find your local parents facebook group. Yeah you may never actually meet up at the city park but it can be a good way of exposing yourself to other people in similar situations to yourself.
Parasocial friends! Podcasts, audiobooks, the latest reality tv show, or hottest documentary. Even listening in on other adults talking about adult subjects can make you feel like you are interacting with someone other than an infant.
Virtual therapy!!! Did you know the research shows that virtual therapy is just as effective as therapy in person? It's true! Being a new parent can make it difficult to attend a weekly therapy appointment but when you can do it in the comfort of your own home that can oftentimes ease some of the added stressors of leaving the house such as finding a caregiver to watch your child, getting ready for the day, and the extra drive time. Time is precious, start making your appointments virtually.
