9 Tips To Beat Postpartum Depression

We’ve all heard about “baby blues”—the irritability, exhaustion and weepiness that affects as many as 50 to 80 percent of mothers. Yet we hear less about postpartum depression—a more severe medical illness that hits up to 20 percent of moms. Despite celebrity Brooke Shields’ 2005 book, Down Came the Rain: My Journey Through Postpartum Depression—and documented cases of the illness throughout history—many women still don’t understand that postpartum depression is no cause for shame. “It’s a very treatable condition, something you shouldn’t have to suffer with longer than you have to,” says Dr. Ariel Dalfen, a psychiatrist at Toronto’s Mount Sinai Hospital and author of When Baby Brings The Blues: Solutions for Postpartum Depression. “The sooner you seek help, the easier it is to treat—which is better for mom and baby.”

TIP ONE: Understand the signs and symptoms of postpartum depression (PPD)
PPD is much more severe and long-lasting than “baby blues”, according to the Canadian Mental Health Association. Feelings of despondency, anxiety, irritability, guilt and even suicidal thoughts can become so overwhelming that they interfere with a mother’s ability to function, adds Dr. Dalfen. Those with PPD may also experience insomnia or exhaustion, extreme appetite changes, anger and a desire to withdraw from the world and even their own child. The condition can begin during pregnancy or any time during the first year after birth.

TIP TWO: Don’t disregard excessive postpartum worrying or anxiety.
Unlike postpartum depression, some women suffer from nervousness, anxiety and feelings of panic—signs that they may have postpartum anxiety (PPA) or another anxiety disorder. Whether they’re suffering from PPD or PPA, many women may not seek treatment for fear of being seen as a bad mother whose child should be taken away, or that there’s no solution to these conditions, especially if one is breastfeeding. Neither of these points is true—in fact, safe and effective treatments can work within weeks.

TIP THREE: Determine whether you’re at risk for postpartum depression (PPD)
Women who have experienced depression in the past or who have a family history of depression, those who suffer from hormone-related mood or thyroid disorders, worriers and perfectionists and those experiencing stress, health complications and breastfeeding problems are all at risk for PPD. Worries about a baby’s poor health or colic can also increase the likelihood of PPD. Talk to your healthcare provider if you think you’re at risk.

TIP FOUR: Get treatment ASAP, even if you’re breastfeeding.
Support, therapy and antidepressants are among many effective treatment options for PPD. (Dr. Dalfen notes that according to research, antidepressants are safe to take while breastfeeding.) Don’t delay: talk about your symptoms with your doctor and request a mental health referral immediately. If a healthcare professional dismisses your concerns but you feel that you’re at risk, get a second opinion from someone with experience dealing with mental-health issues.

TIP FIVE: Get support for postpartum depression
Seek support through friends, your local mental-health association or postpartum depression support group. You can find community resources at sites such as www.postpartum.net or www.postpartum.org. Seeking help in concert with a husband or partner increases the likelihood of successfully beating the condition.

TIP SIX: Retrain your brain to avoid negative thinking
In addition to therapy and medications, Dr. Dalfen recommends exercises to help women reframe their negative thoughts. Try to avoid all-or-nothing thinking, overgeneralization that one negative thing will lead to others, jumping to pessimistic conclusions or ignoring the positives in situations. She also recommends saying positive statements such as, “I feel this way now, but I will not feel this way forever;” or “I am not a bad mother or a bad person.”

TIP SEVEN: Take care of your needs.
Be sure to ask friends and family for help with household tasks while you take time for you, try to exercise, and get your partner or even a night nurse to help you care for the baby so you can get the sleep you need.

TIP EIGHT: Work with your partner to battle postpartum depression.
When a woman has PPD, the father is often anxious and depressed as well, according to the Canadian Psychological Association. Men with a history of depression are most at risk. Again, this is highly treatable, so talk to a doctor as soon as possible. Even if your partner isn’t experiencing depression himself, include him in your own PPD treatment and coping efforts to increase the chances of success.

TIP NINE: Don’t delay; get help for postpartum depression today.
Ninety to 95 percent of women respond positively to treatment and are often better within six to eight weeks, says Dr. Delfen. The sheer relief of acknowledging the illness and getting appropriate support from family, friends and health professionals means moms may experience improvements almost right away.