SMART MOVES, HEALTH
Postpartum blues
by: Julie Meador
New moms need support to beat depression
Many women experience the “baby blues” during the first days or weeks after delivery, often starting suddenly on the third or fourth day. Each woman may experience these symptoms differently: feelings of disappointment, crying without a known reason, irritability, impatience, anxiety, or restlessness.
“In order for a new mother to guard against postpartum blues and depression, she should maintain adequate levels of sleep, allow for family and friends to assist with newborn care, and maintain open communication with her partner and physician,” says Dr. Frederick M. Zachman, assistant professor and division director with the UK HealthCare Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Postpartum depression is a much more intense feeling of despair, fear, or hopelessness after childbirth that interferes with a mother’s ability to provide safe care for her newborn. These symptoms are much more intense than the blues and last past the first couple of weeks after delivery.
Common risk factors for postpartum depression include limited support at home, a history of postpartum depression, and significant new life stressors, including difficult financial, employment, and family situations.
“It is important for women to seek proper treatment early so the mother can resolve the symptoms and experience the joys of motherhood, but also to ensure the newborn remains safe and properly cared for,” Zachman says. Evaluation of postpartum depression and treatment should be performed by a physician.
Julie Meador provides health information for
UK HealthCare.
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