This is the beggining of a 3-part blog sereis I am going to post about postpartum depression. It is a very serious issue that all moms-to-be and their families should educate themselves on. Thankfully there are wonderful treatments available to those suffering from postpartum depression, the help is there once you are able to ask for it.
**This information was copied from www.goop.com)**
From Dr. Laura Schiller:
For most women, having a baby is a joyous experience, but as many as 70 - 80% of women can feel sad, anxious, and overwhelmed after childbirth. For the vast majority of women, these are transient feelings that resolve in about one week. Postpartum blues or "baby blues" are considered a normal response to the fluctuations in hormone levels and adjusting to your new life after the birth of your baby. But if these feelings persist or get worse you may have Postpartum Depression.
Postpartum depression affects about 10% of new mothers and can occur within the 1st few weeks after delivery and even up to a year. Symptoms are similar to a major depression and include feelings of sadness, helplessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and having trouble sleeping, eating and making choices. Sometimes she is not able to care for herself or her baby and she has a difficult time functioning at home and at work. Most importantly women with Postpartum Depression need treatment with counseling and sometimes medication so that the depression does not become worse and last even longer. Anti-depressants are generally considered safe for breastfeeding and when necessary are very helpful in treating the depression.
Dr. Laura Schiller, MD is an Obstetrician and Gynecologist with a practice in New York City. She lives with her husband and twin daughters in NYC.
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