A New Mother's Guide To Postpartum Mental Health Conditions
For some women, there’s a very real disconnect between what motherhood is supposed to look like and what it actually feels like
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Having a baby can be one of the greatest transitions in a woman’s life – both physiologically and psychologically. What’s considered to be a huge moment of joy, can also be paired with strong feelings of worry, hypersensitivity, guilt, and hopelessness. For some women, there’s a very real disconnect between what motherhood is supposed to look like and what it actually feels like.
Around 80% of women experience something called ‘baby blues,’ which is hypersensitivity and mood swings that kick-in between two days and two weeks of having a baby. It’s not an illness; your hormones are just fluctuating. Most of the time, your body will regulate itself, and it goes away without any kind of treatment needed.
There are other postpartum conditions that continue beyond ‘baby blues,’ anywhere from four weeks to a year after having a baby. While they’re similar to other mental health conditions, it will feel different than if you were to experience it during a different time in your life. You may need support or treatment to feel like yourself again.
More and more, new mothers are starting to talk about how they’re actually feeling, painting a more detailed and diverse picture of what postpartum can look like.
Here are a few common postpartum conditions:
Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression is a type of clinical depression that can affect sleep, appetite, concentration, and energy. You may also feel guilty, anger, worthless, or even hopeless. Around 10-20% of women will experience postpartum depression.
Postpartum Anxiety
For many parents, there’s a small dose of anxiety that always accompanies having a baby, but postpartum anxiety elevates the feeling of apprehension, dread, and extreme alertness. If your anxiety is intense and frequent, it’s gone from just normal anxious feelings to interfering with your life and your experience as a mother.
Postpartum OCD
Postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can be different from typical OCD because the obsessions usually relate entirely to your newborn. The symptoms during postpartum can be different from typical OCD, in the fact that the obsessions relate to all things baby. Some examples can include a constant fixation on the baby’s sleep schedule or the overwhelming thoughts about how your newborn could come to harm.
Postpartum Psychosis
This is extremely rare, occurring in only .1-.2% of women, but it can be very serious if not handled immediately. Women experiencing postpartum psychosis have delusions or strange beliefs, hallucinations, paranoia and suspiciousness, and rapid mood swings. While it’s temporary and treatable, it’s important to seek help as soon as possible.
Treatment Options
There’s absolutely nothing to be ashamed of if you find yourself struggling with your mental health after giving birth. Here are some steps that you can take to get your mental health back in check:
Talk to Your Doctor
Talking things through with your doctor is the first step you should take. Your doctor can help you figure out what treatment is right for you. The key is being honest. The thoughts that come up with postpartum conditions may make you feel as if you can’t be honest about all of the negativity that you’re feeling, but you can’t receive the help that you need if you aren’t open about what’s really happening. While your primary care provider may not be able to treat postpartum conditions specifically, they can refer you to a specialist.
Find a Support Network
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There are lots of mothers out there that are experiencing the exact same feelings as you are. Finding support with other people with newborns can give you a chance to learn and grow from people in a similar phase of life. If you’re not sure where to start looking, your doctor can be a good resource for finding classes, programs, or even just meetups for mothers.
Go to Therapy
Going to therapy gives you a chance to voice some of the things that you’re feeling. A therapist can help you figure out how to work through some of your negative thoughts. And they can give you the tools to respond to the negative situations that may accompany motherhood in a positive way.
Take Care of Yourself
This may seem like the most difficult thing to do postpartum, but you are a priority. Whether it’s meeting up with another mom for lunch, going outside for a walk, watching your favorite show, or finding the time to take a long shower or bath - it’s all important for your mental health. When you take care of yourself, your health and mood improve, and you can start to feel like yourself again.
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The shift of motherhood – for your brain and body – is something that people are just now beginning to understand and talk about. Tackling these postpartum conditions is possible, and with treatment, you’ll be able to experience motherhood just as you imagined it to be.