What is Post-Partum Depression?
“Enjoy every minute.”
If I had a dollar for every time I heard that after giving birth…
I don’t know about you, but this comment only made me feel alone and guilty that I wasn’t loving every second with my baby.
During post-partum it is expected that parents will experience fluctuating emotions relating to their physical, practical, and hormonal changes. Whilst the intensity of these emotional experiences may be surprising, it is anticipated that they will be short lived.
What happens if those feelings aren’t short lived?
What if I continue to feel intense emotions or no emotions at all?
What does that mean for me?
First of all, you are not alone. Post partum depression effects one in seven women. It can occur at any time in the first 12 months after giving birth, so it is important to monitor your moods and notice any ongoing emotional challenges.
Post-partum depression includes the following symptoms that last at least a two-week period.
Low mood or numbness
Low confidence or feeling hopeless.
Being teary, emotional, irritable, or resentful
Impacted sleep (even when provided an opportunity to sleep)
Decreased or increased appetite
Lack of interest or energy
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions.
Feeling isolated or alone
Having suicidal thoughts or thoughts to harm the baby.
If you are experiencing some or all of these symptoms, again you are not alone. Having a baby increases the likelihood of developing depression more than at any other time of a mother’s life.
It is important to take action as soon as possible.
Here are some things that you can do …
1. Seek Support
- Consult your GP, midwife, or child health nurse.
- Connect with a psychologist to engage in talk-therapy for your experiences.
- Check-out the PANDA website for useful resources and online counselling
2. Connect with your partner, friends, or family.
Accepting help from those closest to you can be hard but is essential – it takes a village.
- New parenting groups can be very helpful in feeling connected, heard and validated during the post-partum period.
3. Focus on your physical health.
- Ensure you are eating nutritious foods – even if they are snacks.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Move your body in whatever way is comfortable and safe for you.
- Sleep when you can – see above about accepting help from others with this one.
- Engage in activities that help you to de-stress as frequently as possible (Mindfulness, Meditation, Reading, Relaxation).
PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia) supports families across Australia affected by anxiety and depression during pregnancy and in the first year of parenthood. Call 1300 726 306.
If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help now, call triple zero (000).
You can also call Lifeline on 13 11 14 — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Suicide Call Back Service provides 24/7 support. Call 1300 659 467.
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people:
Blog Author: Stephanie Stokes, Psychologist at Evolve Wellbeing.
