Postnatal Depression Is A Clinical Depression That Lasts

Postpartum depression is one of the most common complications of childbearing with an estimated prevalence of 19.2% in the first three months after delivery (1). Depressive episodes (major and mild) may be experienced by approximately half of women during the first postpartum year (1). Characterized by depressed mood, loss of pleasure or interest in daily activities, feelings of worthlessness and guilt, irritability, sleep and eating disturbances (2), its etiology is multi-faceted and complex (3;4).

Often the time after birth is a filled with joy and happiness due to the arrival of a new baby. However, for some mothers the birth of a baby leads to some complicated feelings that are unexpected. Up to 85% of postpartum woman experience a mild depression called “baby blues” (Lowdermilk, Perry, Cashion, & Alden, 2012). Though baby blues is hard on these mothers, another form of depression, postpartum depression, can be even more debilitating to postpartum woman. Postpartum depression affects about 15% (Lowdermilk et al., 2012) of postpartum woman. This disorder is not only distressing to the mother but to the whole family unit. This is why it is important for the nurse to not only recognize the signs and symptoms of a mother with postpartum depression, but also hopefully provide preventative care for the benefit of everyone involved.

Postpartum psychiatric disorders, particularly depression, has become the most underdiagnosed complication in the United States. It can lead to increased costs of medical care, inappropriate medical care, child abuse and neglect, discontinuation of breastfeeding, and family dysfunction and adversely affects early brain development (Earls, 2010). Over 400,000 infants are born to mothers that are depressed. One of 7 new mothers (14.5%) experience depressive episodes that impair maternal role function. An episode of major or minor depression that occurs during pregnancy or the first 12 months after birth is called perinatal or postpartum depression (Wisner, Chambers & Sit, 2006). Mothers with postpartum depression experience feelings of extreme sadness, anxiety, and exhaustion that may make it difficult for them to complete daily care activities for themselves or for others (Postpartum Depression). The six stages of postpartum are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance and PTSD. These stages may affect any women regardless of age, race, ethnicity, or economic status. However only a physician can diagnose a woman with postpartum depression. It does not occur because of something a mother does or does not do, it’s a combination of physical and emotional factors. After childbirth, the levels of hormones in a woman’s body quickly drop; which may lead to chemical changes in her brain (Postpartum Depression). Unbalanced hormones may trigger mood swings.

The Center for Disease Control estimates that 1 in 20 people suffer from depression (2014). Although widely recognized and somewhat easy to diagnose, depression is an ignored and almost hidden, disease. In women, the statistics are especially grim for those who are pregnant or were recently pregnant. A great number of women suffer from postpartum depression; an illness which is often overlooked, misdiagnosed and untreated. Postpartum depression (PPD) has been defined as an emotional disorder that occurs in an estimated 10-15% of all women after childbirth (Liberto, 2010). Postpartum depression not only impacts the mother, but can cause long-term psychological challenges for the baby and create emotional turmoil for all family members.

Postpartum Depression also referred to as “the baby blues” is depression that is suffered by a mother following the birth of her child that typically arises from the combination of hormonal changes and fatigue, as well as the psychological adjustment to becoming a mother. Most mothers will feel depressed or anxious after the birth of their child, however it turns into postpartum depression when is lasts longer than two weeks, and if treatment is not sought after a month, it could continue to worsen severely.

Postpartum depression interferes with the care a mother is able to provide to her infant and can occur right after birth or up to several months later. The exact cause of postpartum depression (PPD) is not known but research has thought it can be related to changes in hormone levels and changes in lifestyle. Most women do experience the “baby blues” and feel anxious, tearful and irritated in the first weeks after delivery. These feelings however usually go away. Postpartum

[Daley et al.] states that symptoms of postpartum depression include decreased mood, fatigue, anxiety, thoughts of self-harm and poor mother-infant interactions(change wording). Women with post-partum depression have been reported to be at an increased risk for substance abuse, are more likely to miss gynecological and child health appointments, are more non-compliant with medical recommendations and are less likely to use preventative safety items like car seats and outlet covers (Ersek). Researchers state that women with postpartum depression are less likely to breastfeed and more

Having a baby can be the most wonderful feeling in the world . Becoming a mother, especially a first time mother can be really stressing; some women are at greater risk for developing Postpartum Depression. Postpartum Depression is depression that occurs after childbirth and causes hormonal changes. In addition, there are three types of Postpartum moods Postpartum Blues , Postpartum Depression, and Postpartum Psychosis. Postpartum Blues affects mothers in the first weeks of postpartum , Postpartum Depression affects mothers in the first year, and Postpartum Psychosis occurs in the first three months of postpartum.

One of the most devastating impact that postpartum depression can have on a mother is to interfere with the ability to care for her child. That is an instant blow to the bonding process. Mothers who suffer from postpartum depression start to feel inadequate as a parent. They have very little interaction with their infant. Quite often they will make less eye contract with their infant as well as, they display less examples of mother-child contact and positive interaction as compared to mothers who don’t have depression. A mom who has postpartum depression shows less affection toward their infant and they also are less sensitive and nurturing. At this stage the infant will sense the tension and anxiety the parent is feeling and in return they will withdraw from their parent. The interaction between mother and child at the early phase of a child’s life is very critical to the evolution of a child.

A new addition to the family brings a lot changes; the good and the bad, as well as, mixed emotions during the first couple weeks after delivery. Parents may experience loss of sleep, loss of appetite, new schedules, and trying to determine why the child is crying/upset. However, depression is often an unanticipated occurrence. Families with more than one child, may not understand why the mother is experiencing these symptoms with this baby and not with the other children. Fathers may tell the mother to “get over” and be “normal”, but in reality, it is not as easy as it seems. The father may put a lot of pressure on the mother to be a stay-at-home-mom, while they go to work and not feel the need to help out as much within the home. The percentage of depression is 18.4% during pregnancy and 19.2% postpartum (Evans, Heron, Francomb., Oke, & Golding, 2001).

The birth of a baby can generate powerful emotions, from excitement and joy to fear and anxiety. But it can also result in something unexpected, depression. Postpartum depression affects approximately 10-15% of women and impairs mother-infant interactions that in turn are important for child development. Postpartum depression is sometimes mistaken for baby blues, but the signs and symptoms are more intense and last longer, eventually interfering with a mother’s ability to care for the baby and handle other daily tasks. Symptoms usually develop within the first few weeks after giving birth, but may begin later and up to six months after birth. Postpartum depression isn 't a character flaw or a weakness, it 's simply a complication of giving birth. More than half of all mothers experience a period of “baby blues” in the first few weeks after delivery, when they feel significant sadness, exhaustion, fear, and mood instability. More often than not, this experience resolves on its own, especially in the presence of good social supports. Nevertheless, there are times when the “baby blues” don’t go away in just a few weeks and it sometimes progresses into an episode of major depression, with more severe and more persistent symptoms. As many as 1 of every 8 mothers are reported to develop an episode of major depression in the month immediately following delivery, though the Diagnostic and

Post partum depression can begin two weeks to couple months after delivery for a woman. It is also referred to as “the baby blues,” a feeling of stress, sadness, anxiety, loneness, and tiredness following the child’s birth (American Psychological Association [APA], 2016). As critical as it could be for the mother, post partum depression has long term consequences on the development of the child. It does not only impact the mother in providing care for the newborn, it also has numerous impacts on the families, and the larger community. APA (2016) suggested that up to 1 in 7 women experiences postpartum depression and that it can affect any woman, regardless of their marital status, first-time mothers or mothers with one or more children, easy or problem pregnancies, income, age, race or ethnicity, culture or education. Its impact may affect both the child development, and the mother interaction in respect to the child development. The whole family system is affected with perinatal loss. Many children experience unresolved grief which can be seen later on in adulthood. According to the article “siblings in families bereaved as a result of perinatal loss suffer in two ways: they mourn the loss of their expected sibling and they mourn the loss of the parents as they knew prior to the loss”. The loss of a child can be so overwhelming that parents forget about their child’s grief. This type of grief is known as the incipient grief; grief that is not

Now when it comes to the baby, they can also be affected by Postpartum Depression. It ranges from Physical Development problems to confidence and Social Issues. Physical development problems can occur when the mother fails to interact and even play with the child that encourages growth, “Recent studies have shown that children whose mother suffered from postpartum depression are more likely to fall behind in development (Postpartum Living).” If the mother isn’t there encouraging her baby to coordinate its self or muscle deployment that cause negative physical growth. “A mom suffering from postpartum depression is more likely to overlook simple, everyday actions that are very important in satisfying her baby’s physical needs, such as steadying

Mothers who have brought into this world a blessing have been preparing themselves for a big change in their life. They have been learning and educating themselves about how to be a good mother. Many mothers find it really hard to transition from being an independent woman without children to becoming a mother (Corrigan, Kwasky, & Groh, 2015). Adapting to motherhood can be a drastic change, and usually creates challenges that lead to feeling overwhelmed (Leger & Letourneau, 2015). When a newly mother begins experiencing stress or becomes emotional then there can be a possibility that they can encounter Postpartum Depression (Leger et al., 2015). Postpartum depression can be seen and experienced in many different ways, it all varies on every mother (Corrigan et al., 2015). Many different mental health issues can be seen including baby blues, postpartum depression, postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder, and the most serious, postpartum psychosis (Tam & Leslie, 2001).

A mother who struggles with depression post-partum is likely to expose her baby to more harmful effects. Gerhardt (2015) states that the baby of a depressed mother can find it difficult to cope with or get over stress, or they may be more fearful (p. 21). These babies also may respond to others with depression themselves, as their mother may be neglectful in their care (Gerhardt, 2015, p. 36). One of the reasons for this is because of their cortisol levels, which can fluctuate situationally. However, in infants this can affect their development (Gerhardt, 2015, p. 83) as well as their immune system (Gerhardt, 2015, p. 118), and is evidence that a mother with depression can have a significant impact on her child well beyond when the depression occurs. Additionally, Gerhardt (2015) notes that, “When they grow up, these babies of depressed mothers are highly at risk of succumbing to depression themselves.” (p.