1 in 7 women are thought to be affected by post partum mood disorders.
“I never thought I’d be the one to get PPD.”
These range from depression, anxiety, OCD and psychosis. There is lots of GOOD news about Post Partum Depression. For one, it is getting a lot more attention and respect than it did in the past. Both celebrity moms and “every day’ moms are sharing their experiences which is a huge part of creating cultural support and acceptance. Second of all, there are lots of resources and help available to women and their families if they need it.
Ideally, an expecting woman will know some things about post partum depression prior to having her baby. That’s not to say she should expect to have PPD – because the majority of women will not, but she and her support team should know some red flags to look out for after delivery and they should know the basics of how to get help. There are also some risk factors that increase the likelihood of PPD occurring so if you feel that you have one or more of these risk factors, you may want to put some extra thought into a post partum plan by hiring a post partum doula, making sure your family knows the warning signs and looking ahead to see what resources exist in your area. Some risk factors include:
- History of depression, anxiety or other mental disorder
- Breast feeding difficulty
- Weak support system
- Traumatic birth or baby with special health needs
PPD does not look the same for all women.
“I had postpartum OCD, a cousin of PPD that no one talks about. I had repetitive thoughts, not repetitive behaviors, of my baby being harmed and it was difficult to do everyday things because I saw everything as a threat to my baby. When I got help, my therapist said this wasn’t uncommon, which made a big difference!”
Do you know what Post Partum Depression looks or feels like? Would your partner or your family and friends recognize if you had it and would they know how to help?
One day the lights went out on me…I cried for no reason. I woke up, hopeless that I had to open my eyes again. I would say, often in tears, was I can’t do this. And honestly, I didn’t even know what “this” was.”
And yet another new mother described how she stopped sleeping.
There seemed no point to sleeping since I’d have to wake up anyway, so I wouldn’t go to bed. Then I would have to be up for the day at 5 or 6am. Crying. Exhausted. Overwhelmed. Angry. Useless. Guilty.”
While each woman may experience Post Post Depression differently, some symptoms may include:
- feelings of anger, guilt, worthlessness, panic
- thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, or others harming your baby
- crying…a lot
- difficulty bonding with baby
- withdrawing from activities or family and friends
- loss of appetite, or unusual eating
- insomnia or loss of energy
There is an online test called the Edinburgh Scale that can help screen for Post Partum depression. This test does not replace talking to a doctor or therapist, but it is starting point for evaluation.
There is help. And lots of it.
Some woman will need to see a counselor or therapist. Some do well with medication and a therapist while others may turn to friends or to the many support groups that exist online or in person. Some women experiment with exercise or natural remedies including placenta encapsulation and nutritional supplements along with these other treatments. There is no one right answer – but the answer may start with someone reaching out. No matter where you choose to turn for post partum support, there is help and women do succeed in overcoming PPD.
“I was the first of my friends to have a baby so I thought what I was feeling was normal. I was unhappy but the world was telling me I should be happy. It took one friend who expressed concern and helped me gather the strength to get the help I needed. Your community, your friends, the tribe of people who love you are important. Don’t underestimate that.”
If you need help, our doulas have local contacts that we can hook you up with in addition to the resources listed at the end of this blog. We all have training in Post Partum Depression and while our role is not that of a therapist or doctor, we can listen and make sure you have access to the resources available in the Dallas and Ft. Worth area. We want you to be able to say,
“One day the lights turned back on!”
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Maria Pokluda has been a doula serving expecting families in Dallas / Ft. Worth since 2007 and has helped hundreds of families have happy birth days. Maria was voted “Best Doula” by DFW Child the past three years and has a special passion for helping couples achieve VBACs. In 2011, Maria co-created the Birth Boot Camp program. You can find information about Maria’s services at greatexpectationsbirth.com
Additional Post Partum Resources in the Dallas and Ft. Worth area:
- Wings For Wellness Dallas, Texas – Support Groups and Information
- Dallas Birth Network Dallas, Texas- Information
- Kim Kertsburg Dallas, Texas – Licensed Clincal Social Worker specializing in PPD
- Ann Dunnewold Dallas Texas – licensed psychologist specializing in PPD
- JLShepard Consulting Hurst, Texas – therapist specializing in PPD
(a special thanks to betterbirthblog.org, knowbetterdoulabetter.com for help with this post )