Postpartum Depression: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment

Postpartum depression can be a debilitating thing. Just as you’re trying to wrap your mind around having a new baby to care for, you find that it’s hard to even care for yourself. You may find that even getting out of bed can become a huge challenge. You may find that caring for your baby has become more and more difficult. If you’ve started to worry about your mood post-baby, you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading to find out about what postpartum depression is and how we can help.

Symptoms

For most moms (50-80%), experiencing mood issues in the first two weeks after baby is born is just par for the course. I remember crying uncontrollably myself after the birth of my first child. My mom asked, “Why are you crying? What’s wrong?” And I just responded, “I don’t know,” and kept crying. Because at the time, I didn’t know. I just felt emotionally overwhelmed and the tears came out. But nothing was really “wrong.” The emotional ups and down that we feel after childbirth are so common, that we’ve given them a name. The “Baby Blues.” Baby Blues typically entail sadness, crying, exhaustion, irritability, anxiety, decreased sleep, decreased concentration, and mood instability. These symptoms typically arrive 2 days after delivery and last about two weeks. During the course of Baby Blues, a mom will maintain her self-esteem and will be able to care for her child.

If the mood issues persist after two weeks, a mom feels their self-esteem worsens, or if a mom feels they are so impacted they are unable to care for their child, this is more likely postpartum depression. Postpartum depression is not uncommon (1 in 5 moms) and can greatly impact quality of life. For some, it may entail thoughts of wanting to hurt themselves or thoughts that their child would be better off without them. These kinds of thoughts are serious and require treatment in order to resolve. Without treatment, mood issues can become chronic and can impact the development and wellbeing of the child.

Causes

Why do some people get postpartum depression and some don’t? Well, like anything in life, there are multiple factors at play. Research has shown that it can be related to your genetics, environment, and social factors. For genetics, perhaps someone in your family also had postpartum depression or perhaps you have had previous episodes of depression or anxiety. Maybe you are someone who is sensitive to hormonal changes and had negative experiences with PMS or birth control. Perhaps you live in an environment with higher stress levels, such as living in an area with less access to healthcare. Or maybe there are social factors at play, such as having less social support around or marital discord. There is no one thing that causes postpartum depression and for many, they don’t have any of these risk factors. We could look for “the reason” for postpartum depression our whole lives and never come up with a good answer. Because of this, I think it’s more helpful to spend our time focussed on treatment.

Treatment

Luckily the treatment for postpartum depression is quite effective. Both medication and psychotherapy have been shown to be effective in the treatment of postpartum depression. There are several SSRIs that are effective and safe in postpartum and nursing women. For more of a deepdive on medications, read my medication blog post. If you’re nervous about taking medication, psychotherapy has been shown to be just as effective in reducing symptoms. In addition, there are several other benefits of psychotherapy apart from symptom reduction. Psychotherapy can be a way to practice self-care, can provide social support, help you process any past traumas, and can help you start moving toward the life you want to live.

Resources

If you feel that you need immediate support for your feelings of postpartum depression, reach out to the Postpartum Support International helpline. This helpline is staffed 24/7 with knowledgeable people who can connect you to the right resources.

If you feel you may benefit from speaking to someone with specialized training in postpartum depression treatment and support, reach out, we’re here to help!