About 1 in 7 women will experience a postpartum mood/anxiety disorder (PMDA) , after giving birth. It is the most common complication for women who have just had a baby!
What is it and why is it important to talk about and treat it?
A PMAD differs from the baby blues in that the symptoms are more serious and last longer, usually requiring treatment to get better. Signs that you might be experiencing PMAD are:
Changes in your feelings:
– Feeling depressed most of the day, every day
– Feeling shame, guilt, or like a failure
– Feeling panicky or scared a lot of the time
– Obsessive, Ruminative thoughts and behaviors
– Having trouble concentrating or making decisions
Changes in your everyday life:
-Having little interest in things you normally like to do
– Feeling tired all the time
– Eating a lot more or less than is normal for you
– Gaining or loosing weight
– Having trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
Changes in how you think about yourself or your baby:
-Having trouble bonding
– Thinking about hurting or killing yourself or your baby
If you find yourself experiencing several of these symptoms for more than 2 weeks, it’s important to seek treatment. You can contact a mental health counselor who will help you manage your symptoms and make recommendations to support you in feeling better.
Treating PMDA important because of the many ways it can impact a family if untreated:
Impact on Infants:
– Increased crying and irritability
– Hyper vigilance
– Lower activity level
– Less positive affect
– Failure to thrive
– Poor attachment
– Decreased breastfeeding duration
Impact on baby as they grow:
– Behavioral problems: Sleep issues, temper tantrums, aggression, hyperactivity.
– Delays in Cognitive Development: Walking, talking, learning, reading, ect.
– Social: Difficulty establishing secure relationships, social withdrawal, acting out, difficulty making friends
– Emotional: Lower self esteem, more anxious and fearful, more passive, less independent, higher risk of depression and/or anxiety later in life
Impact on family:
– Relationship friction and separation
– Partners can feel helplessness and depression
– Impact on siblings
– Effects how partner feels about the relationship
– Causes feelings of grief and loss
– Effects extended family
PMAD is powerful and important to talk about and treat. If you or someone you know is suffering from PMAD remember: You are not alone, you are not to blame, and with the right help you will get better.
Things you can try to do right now:
-Try to do something active every day a
– Eat healthy, nourishing foods and snacks
– Get as much rest as you can
– Try to practice gratitude and positive thinking
– Focus on your strengths and achievements, even if they seem small
– Take deep breaths
– Practice basic self-care and sleep hygiene
– Lower expectations, you are good enough
– Ask for and accept help; reach out to friends, family, supports, contact a professional and schedule an appointment
Elise Derevjanik, LMHC
Perinatal and postpartum mental health counselor