How To Know If You Have Post Partum Depression

Giving birth to a new baby is probably the greatest moment for a mother and her family. Nothing could be more blissful than holding your child and kissing him on the cheek for the first time. But what if her happiness suddenly turns into misery?  You’re having mood swings and you have no idea as to why it’s happening. By reading this article, you’ll hit upon information that will determine if you’re having Post Partum Depression.

What is PPD?

Post Partum Depression is a depression that varies from feeling sad, blue, and miserable to having suicidal thoughts that can occur after a woman has given birth.

Three Types of Post Partum Depression

1. Baby Blues – This is the mildest state of depression which usually occurs two to five days after delivery. “Baby Blues” is characterized by lack of sleep, crankiness, crying more easily, and being too emotional that may last for 2 weeks.  On a positive note, this condition doesn’t affect the emotional feelings of the mother towards her child.

2. Post Partum Depression – This is the moderate kind of depression common among 10-20 percent of mothers. This occurs a few months after delivery, described by sleepiness, anxiety, exhaustion, feeling of insufficiency, loss of appetite, and suicidal thoughts. Women with this disorder also experience numbness, headaches, and hyperventilation. What’s worse about this condition is that mothers sometimes lose interest in their child.

3. Post Partum Psychosis – This is the severe type that requires appropriate and immediate treatment.  A woman feels the symptoms of this within three weeks. It includes mood swings, hallucinations, confusion, and delusions. Most moms affected by this consider killing their child, and acting like they are not sick just to get away from the doctors.

Main Causes of PPD

• Miscarriage
• Unplanned pregnancy
• Having depression before pregnancy
• Hormonal Imbalance
• Mental Illness history in the family
• Traumatized during childhood
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Though I have mentioned some symptoms of the three types of Post Partum Depression, I would like to explain to you further the signs and indications of this disorder for better understanding.

How would you know if you have Post Partum Depression?

1. If you have experienced the first sign of depression, which is the Baby Blues, and it lasted for more than two weeks, it means that you’re already in the PPD stage. You feel inadequate and all the other symptoms I pointed out in PPD Type 2.

2. You’re overwhelmed with the baby tasks. You feel a bigger weight of responsibility to your child as well as think that you’re not doing well enough to take care of him. You tend to be anxious and unconscious of your eating habits, too.

3. You feel worthless and disinterested in breastfeeding your baby. Breastfeeding is supposed to be the bonding time between you and your infant, but because you feel useless, a lot of important things suffer and are taken for granted. You feel you’re a bad mother.

4. You’re having a difficult time focusing or concentrating. You tend to zone out while having a conversation with another person.

5. You’re frustrated and worried all the time.

6. You’re having sleepless nights and thoughts of committing suicide.

7. You’re weepy and feeling hopeless.

8. You depart yourself from family and friends.

If you think you’re experiencing these symptoms, start to think positively and live each day to its fullest. Resort to doing meaningful and productive activities with your friends and family. Set goals and achieve them with the support of your partner. Most importantly, don’t be ashamed to seek for help if you think you have the Post Partum Depression. Consult your doctor. Also, strongly advise you to have a therapy with a mental health professional.