You do not feel like yourself anymore. Relatives are quick to pass judgement and advice on how you should be raising your baby. You are experiencing postpartum depression: wondering if you will ever feel okay again? Are you struggling with postpartum mental health or are you worried that you might be having postpartum depression?
Motherhood is a life changing experience for every woman. You love your baby with all your being and yet you can feel emotionally empty and disconnected. Postpartum Depression (PPD) is a serious maternal mental health condition. This blog article aims to create an understanding on postpartum depression in mothers, warning signs and symptoms of postpartum depression and how to reach out for help.
Understanding Postpartum Depression in mothers
After birth most women are expected to just “get it”. Perhaps a new mother may get temporary support of their parents, in-laws or partner, but afterward, she is mostly on her own on navigating her way through raising a baby.
Drastic life changes in a short time:
The transition to motherhood is marked with lots of drastic life changes in a woman’s life in a short period of time. Including her sense of identity, lifestyle, relationships, body, hormones and brain chemistry.
The postpartum hormone drop is the largest hormone shift, in the shortest amount of time in a woman’s hormone cycle. Leading to frequent mood swings, low moods and not having a calm emotional state.
Post pregnancy body changes are a major source of depression and anxiety in postpartum women. The societal expectations of ‘bouncing back’ quickly losing pregnancy weight, to look put together and beautiful. Increase the pressure on new mothers who are still coming to terms with all the bodily changes.
Societal expectations and cultural stigma:
Indian women who maybe living with in-laws or extended family. They often find themselves co-parenting with their mother-in-law instead of their husband. Finding it hard to have a sense of voice and agency in how they want to parent their child and raise them. Motherhood is a period of time when a woman feels the most emotionally vulnerable. Having to the engage in power struggles at home can also contribute to the feelings of helplessness, anxiety and feelings of being a failure as a new mother.
The popular notion of ‘super mom’ emphasizes on women ‘having it all’ with an implication that women can seamlessly handle multiple roles and responsibilities without any help. Making it challenging for women who are struggling with postpartum depression or anxiety to accept or acknowledge their struggles.
Lack of support and empathy for new mothers:
Frequently waking up in the nights to care for the newborn baby and lack of rest and recovery time given to a new mother. Chronic sleep deprivation experienced during pregnancy and childbirth plays a significant role in causing postpartum depression. Lack of sleep can significantly impact how a woman functions, feels and handles situations. Without proper and consistent sleep, women may exhibit signs of postpartum depression.
Women may also feel anxious and depressed after childbirth due to influx of new responsibilities and having no time for themselves/ personal care or social activities they previously enjoyed before giving birth.
Indian women are often faced with pressures from society in the form of comments and taunts made on their baby, their parenting and how they should act or behave. Well-meaning parenting advice given by family elders to a new mother. Comparisons between daughter in-laws parenting and their baby. Adds to the pressure and feelings of lack of support and empathy for new mother.
Warning Signs and Symptoms of postpartum depression
More than 5 in every 10 Indian mothers experience postpartum depression but not all of them get the help and support they need because they are unable to recognise the signs and symptoms of postpartum depression.
Becoming a mother may deeply trigger old trauma, attachment wounds and mother wounds. Sleep deprivation and chronic lack of help increases an individual’s emotional vulnerability. Suicide is the leading cause of maternal death in the postpartum period.
Here are some warning signs of postpartum depression to watch out for:
- Persistent low moods, anxiety, irritability and crying often without a reason.
- Bouts of extreme anger at yourself, your partner or baby.
- Constantly feeling anxious, experiencing panic attacks.
- Re-occurring intrusive thoughts of self-harm or harming the baby.
- A loss of interest in daily activities and routines. Along, with feeling hopeless about the future.
- Difficulty in bonding or connecting with your baby.
Reaching out for help
Pregnancy and the arrival of a new baby creates a lot of excitement, you have spent months collecting cute baby outfits, preparing a nursery etc. At such a time it may be difficult for women to admit feeling depressed when everyone else thinks you should be ecstatic and grateful about being pregnant or having a baby.
Women fear being judged by their partner, in laws and society as “bad moms” for admitting that they sometimes just don’t like being a mom, that they’re depressed, anxious, or feel like they’re failing at motherhood. You are not a bad mother or a failure if you are struggling and need help.
Serene Hour is trauma informed and inclusive. Birth trauma can cause women to experience PTDS. Yet birth trauma is hardly recognised or acknowledged enough socially or medically. Reach out to Psychologist Sherene Chaz for therapy in Mumbai. if you are struggling with postpartum depression, need therapy, a non-judgemental safe space to share your thoughts and feelings on motherhood and for support on parenting.
In conclusion
Becoming a mother can be the most life changing decision you can make. Contrary to popular belief about parenting and being a mother. Women need support and information on parenting and adjusting to the new life changes that come with becoming a mother. If you are struggling and do not know what to do or how to get help. Reach out for help and guidance with a licenced psychologist Sherene Chaz, in Mumbai because ultimately only a happy mother creates happy children.
Read More about: Benefits of Therapy with a Licensed Psychologist