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Journalism of Courage
Dr Samir Parikh
For a new mother to be experiencing feelings of sadness after having a baby could often sound inexplicable. In fact, it is often incomprehensible for the mother to experience a feeling of disconnect from her own child and could also breed feelings of guilt and self-blame. Even family members around her may not tend to understand such a phenomenon, and may end up holding the mother responsible, for not being a ‘good enough’ mother.
However, it is not uncommon for postpartum depression to occur across the population, and therefore it is important for new mothers to be aware of such a phenomenon, and be open to talking about it, and seeking help. Feeling sad or moody within a few days of the delivery of your child, though often difficult to understand and accept, is quite common, and many women experience such postpartum blues. Such symptoms can extend up till a period of two weeks, after which they usually subside on their own.
It is also common for new mothers to experience depressive symptoms like increase in irritability, frequent crying spells, restlessness, difficulty in sleeping, feeling of exhaustion, etc. These symptoms, however, can sometimes persist up to six months or longer as well, thus exceeding the baby blues, and manifesting in a form similar to a depressive episode.
1. Sadness, along with increased irritability, feelings of guilt, hopelessness or worthlessness, with or without frequent crying spells, especially occurring in close proximity with childbirth, are some of the major warning signs of a postpartum depression.
2. Along with such mood changes, the mother is likely to experience a loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities or in previously anticipated enjoyable activities. For instance, spending time with the baby could be something she had looked forward to during her pregnancy, but post the childbirth, she could experience a disconnect and distance with the same baby.
3. Changes in regulation of both sleep and appetite could also be markers that are typically overlooked. Any sudden decrease or increase in sleep, an impact on the overall quality of sleep which is not explained by the circumstances, as well as unintended weight loss or weight gain, could be some of these signs.
4. Energy levels could also be reduced, with feelings of lethargy and tiredness prevailing for most part of the day.
5. The new mother may have difficulty in attention and concentration and therefore find it difficult to resume daily functioning and routine, further impacting her mood and quality of life overall.
6. There is likely to be a social withdrawal, with the mother preferring to be left alone, as opposed to being around friends or family constantly.
7. Last but not the least would be the possibility of the mother being preoccupied with excessive anxiety about the baby’s health and well-being.
Postpartum depression is a natural reaction for some new mothers
In itself, the period during pregnancy and after childbirth is regarded as a period of stress as the women tend to grapple with hormonal changes, changes in their body image, the challenges associated with the new role of a mother (or even dealing with motherhood with a second child), any anxieties and psychological conflicts associated with being a mother, and various other psychosocial issues. It could be a very overwhelming experience, and symptoms of depression could be manifested due to an interaction between both biological as well as psychosocial factors.
(The author is director, Department of Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences, Fortis National Mental Health Program at Fortis Healthcare)
