Taking Care of Moms: How to be aware of postpartum mood disorders and knowing when to ask for help

By: Sydney Burkhard, LCSW

There is nothing more exciting than welcoming a new baby into the world. It’s a joyous time filled with love and excitement, but like anything in life there can be challenges along the way. One such challenge that often gets overlooked is postpartum mood disorders which are common amongst mothers following childbirth. In this article we will discuss what postpartum mood disorders are and how to know when to seek support.

 

Why Do I Feel This Way?

Bringing baby home is an exciting and joyful time… right? What if it's not? While most new moms will experience some level of baby blues, 1 in 10 women will experience a postpartum mood disorder that impacts their experience during this time. The question though, is how to know the difference. What are "baby blues" and what is a potential postpartum mood disorder?

“Baby blues” is characterized by feelings of sadness and can be accompanied by sudden mood swings. While these emotions can be confusing, it's important to talk about, normalize, and monitor with your provider to ensure adequate care and support. The "baby blues" are experienced by 70-80% of all new mothers and while cause is unknown, it is believed it is likely due to hormonal fluctuations that will level out over a couple weeks as hormones adjust. Symptoms of "baby blues" can include crying, impatience, irritability, anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, sadness, and mood changes- just to name a few. The "baby blues" have been reported to impact a new mother within the first 4-5 days after the birth of their little one and can last a couple of weeks. [SD1] 

Postpartum mood disorders can be more distressing; they can have a swift and sudden onset or can present gradually. Due to stigma, many women struggle in silence due to fear of judgement and shame, therefore research may not provide an adequate picture of the prevalence at this time. Postpartum depression can last 3 or more months and varies person to person in regard to severity and symptomology. The unfortunate statistic is that nearly 50% of women who struggle with postpartum depression will go undiagnosed.
 

What are postpartum mood disorders?

Most parents are unaware of the varying types of postpartum mood disorders that impact mothers every year. The different types of mood disorders include postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, postpartum OCD, postpartum panic disorder, and postpartum psychosis.

·         Postpartum depression can include symptoms of mood swings, feelings of worthlessness, fatigue, excessive crying, and inability to bond with your new baby. Some signs you may be struggling include withdrawal from relationships, feeling lonely or isolated, lacking motivation, and difficulty enjoying previous interests.

·         Postpartum anxiety impacts roughly 75% of women with maternal depression. “It is a clinically diagnosable level of anxiety. The primary symptoms of postpartum anxiety are intense worries, fears and anxiousness that severely disrupt daily life.”[SD1]  Some of the symptoms can include nervous thoughts that control your thinking, recurring negative thoughts of worry and worst-case scenarios involving the baby’s health and wellbeing, intentionally avoiding situations and interactions out of fear that something bad will happen, and irritability or frustration.

·          Postpartum OCD occurs in 3-5% of women. While these symptoms are more common in those who have a history of struggling with OCD, it is important to note that 25-75% of women will experience postpartum OCD following childbirth.

·         Postpartum Panic Disorder impacts 7% of all new mothers after the birth of their child and symptoms include panic attacks ranging in duration.

·         Postpartum PTSD impacts 1 in 10 women following a complication in pregnancy or delivery.

·         Postpartum Psychosis impacts between 1-2 women out of 1000 and is severe and deadly. It has been found that women who struggle with Bipolar Disorder are 40% more likely to struggle with postpartum psychosis.

A recent study found that 1 in 7 women may experience postpartum depression in the year after the birth of their child. This then leads to the realization that in "approximately 4 million live births occurring each year in the United States, this equates to almost 600,000 diagnoses of postpartum depression”[SD2] . With this statistic, it is my hope women begin to understand that you are not alone. It is more common than the general public realizes, and we shouldn't need to hide in the dark due to feelings of shame. Recovery from these mood disorders is possible.

When Should We Seek Help?

It's important to recognize when we don’t feel ourselves, and when that sense of overwhelm is worthy of addressing with a professional. Initially, talking about our struggles with our providers at our OBGYN follow ups as well as at well-baby follow up appointments can be helpful in obtaining referrals to support you and your journey through motherhood. Any symptom (whether it’s feelings of overwhelm, baby blues, or a potential diagnosable postpartum mood disorder) deserves to be recognized and treated with compassion and supportive referrals. You deserve support as you navigate this life-changing event. You are not broken nor are you weak for needing help. There is power in the recognition that we don't have to do this alone.

In addition to being aware of postpartum mood disorders and how they may affect yourself or your partner, it’s also important that you seek treatment if:

·         You have thoughts about harming yourself or others (including your baby)

·         You feel hopeless or are thinking about suicide

·         Your depression is making it hard for you to take care of your family

If you are concerned with any symptoms following the birth of your little one, it's important to talk to a provider right away. No symptom is too small for added support.

I hope that this article has helped you understand the various types of postpartum mood disorders and how they can impact mothers. As always, it is important to talk about your struggles with a therapist right away so that they can diagnose the cause and provide the support needed to get better. You are not alone!

I am passionate about maternal mental health, please visit my bio on the Meet the Team tab on the Ignite website to schedule a free phone consultation.

_____________________

  [SD1]https://www.postpartumdepression.org/postpartum-depression/types/anxiety/

 [SD2]https://www.postpartumdepression.org/resources/statistics/