Can you avoid postpartum depression

Symptoms include:. Postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder is one of the newer disorders that is part of the postpartum mood disorders group.

Symptoms may include:. Women who suffer from PPOCD often know that these thoughts, actions, and feelings are not normal and do not act on them. But the obsession can get in the way of a mom taking care of her baby properly or being able to enjoy her baby.

With the right treatment, women with PPOCD can experience freedom from being controlled by these obsessions and compulsions. Postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder often affects women who experienced real or perceived trauma during childbirth or immediately after the baby was born.

Traumas that might cause postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder include:. Women who are experiencing PPTSD need to talk with a health care provider about what they are feeling. With the correct treatment, these symptoms will lessen and eventually go away. Postpartum psychosis PPP is the most severe form of postpartum depression, but fortunately, it is the rarest form. It occurs in 1 to 2 out of every 1, pregnancies.

The onset is very sudden and severe, normally within 2 to 3 weeks after giving birth. This does not mean that you have to go to the gym. Or run a marathon. Or even get out to attend a yoga class. Create your village: Inadequate social support is one of the leading factors in developing depression or anxiety postpartum. Community allows for validation, emotional and logistical support, and company.

Consider setting up a meal train in which friends, family, and colleagues can bring you food in the weeks after you bring your baby home check out www. If you have struggled with depression or anxiety in the past and know that you are at risk for PPD, connect with a therapist now.

And if you are someone who has needed medicine to maintain emotional wellness before becoming pregnant, work with a trained reproductive psychiatrist so that you can continue this mental health need during your pregnancy if necessary. Connect with your village before the birth of your babe so that you know who is out there.

Of Self: Women who know their risk of postpartum depression are less likely to be hit unexpectedly with an episode of depression and anxiety and are more likely to put preventive measures into place. Understanding how your brain works, what your vulnerabilities and triggers are, and what you need most to feel well can make all the difference in your postpartum recovery. Please make sure that your expectations of yourself are realistic! Of your partner : It has also been shown that couples who discuss their parenting hopes, expectations, fears, and roles prior to the birth of a baby are much more equipped to support each other along the way.

The first postpartum year is a tough one for couples, and the more you communicate before your baby arrives, the more equipped you will be to manage the challenges. Becoming a mother and having a new baby is simply stressful at times. There is no way around this one, and it is entirely normal to have moments of anxiety, irritability, and sadness along the way.

What is important, however, is that moms have some tools for managing the emotions that come up when times get hard. Moms who have access to stress reduction strategies are less likely to become depressed and anxious than moms who do not.

Breath : When we are stressed or anxious, most of us are are not breathing adequately. When we breathe with our full lung capacity — all the way to the bottom of our lungs diaphragmatic breathing — we give our brains the amount of fresh oxygen that they need to function efficiently. Deep relaxation strategies: When we are stressed and anxious, we often forget what it feels like to be relaxed. Reminding your body that this is possible is important.

Progressive relaxation: In a lying-down or comfortable position, tense and relax each part of your body either from head-to-toe or from toe-to-head. If your symptoms last longer or start later, you could have postnatal depression. Postnatal depression can start any time in the first year after giving birth. Many women do not realise they have postnatal depression, because it can develop gradually. Many midwives and health visitors have been trained to recognise postnatal depression and have techniques that can help.

Postnatal depression can be lonely, distressing and frightening, but support and effective treatments are available. There are a number of things that may make you more likely to have postnatal depression.

These include:. Even if you do not have any of these, having a baby is a life-changing event that can sometimes trigger depression. It often takes time to adapt to becoming a new parent. Getting educated about this once-taboo topic allows you to create an environment that prevents or lessens the severity of postpartum depression. In fact, whether you're at risk for PPD or not, the following strategies will make the transition to motherhood easier.

Join a support group. Isolation breeds anxiety. Just knowing that others are experiencing the same mix of joy and frustration will put your mind at ease. New-mommy support groups offered by community organizations and hospitals provide relief from the social isolation that comes with having a new baby, as well as perspective, notes Meg Spinelli, M.

There are also numerous websites that connect you with other new mothers; check out postpartum. Because these healthcare providers have frequent contact with new and expectant mothers , they may help detect symptoms of PPD. It's important that you choose people you can talk to, and who are interested in your welfare as well as the baby's, points out Karen Kleiman, author of This Isn't What I Expected: Overcoming Postpartum Depression Bantam, Get help at home.

Accept household help from your partner, friends, family members, or neighbors. Make time to exercise. A study of more than 1, mothers found that those who exercised before and after the birth of their baby tended to feel better emotionally and were more social than women who didn't.