The stork has been busy around here lately! From my North
City friend who delivered a perfect baby daughter (at home, sans drugs, you go, girl!) to a South City couple who welcomed the cutest twins ever (via the beautiful generosity of a surrogate mother), my Facebook feed has been full of baby news.
The timing has me in a reflective mood, because five years ago this month − about a year after my youngest son was born − I realized I had postpartum depression.
It was incredibly isolating. I quit a job I loved because I just couldn’t keep it together, and I had no idea that 10 to 15 percent of new moms experience the same level of mental health trouble that I was having. (For some segments of the population, like Hispanic moms, the rate is even higher – and less likely to be diagnosed.)
My treatment was straightforward, and everything worked out fine. In fact, I gained enormous self-awareness and strength from the experience. But despite the fact that so many women go through it, I was never screened by any of our healthcare providers, nor did I really know what symptoms to look for.
According to a 2010 study, about 10 percent of new dads also experience depression after their child is born. Their symptoms tend to be different – irritability, withdrawal or emotional detachment are more common for men, while women may be fatigued, uninterested in eating, have trouble making decisions, feel guilty, undergo changes in their sleep patterns and, in a worst-case scenario, be suicidal.
You may not notice that a family member or friend is feeling this way, or you may write it off as normal (which it could be, because 85 percent of women experience “baby blues” that are less serious and go away on their own). But if you DO notice something and you’re worried:
It’s impossible to prevent the hormonal imbalances that lead to postpartum depression for many women, but there are some simple ways to brighten new parents’ day. By doing one of these, you build the social supports are an important protective factor:
By Amy De La Hunt, Health Blogger for SmartParenting
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