While you bring another precious life into this world, you'll be on an emotional roller coaster ride. It is because many changes might happen in your body and mind while pregnant and after delivering your baby.
Feelings lost, angry, alone, or crying? Worry not; your problem is known as Postpartum depression (PPD). Its symptoms can last up to less or more than two weeks.
Diagnosing and treating it on time is essential. If PPD is left untreated, it can have a long-lasting adverse effect on the patient's whole life.
Below you can find all everything you need to know about PPD and How postpartum depression is treated for a better life.
In this post, we will shine a light on the following:
- What is Postpartum Depression?
- Symptoms of PPD
- Postpartum Psychosis
- Diagnosis
- How Does Postpartum Depression Go Away?
- Treatment
- Lifestyle and Home Remedies
- Fight off PPD with SUPMOGO RecoveryFlex System Belt
What is Postpartum Depression?
When you hear the term postpartum depression, a question will also pop up: what is postpartum depression, and how long does it last?
According to research, postpartum depression affects more than 15% of moms worldwide.[1] Its duration varies, and there's no exact research available on the average length of time it stays.
However, the Harvard Review of Psychiatry found that most cases of PPD are resolved within three to six months of their initiation. This medical condition could be severe if left untreated and cause serious or life-threatening mishaps for the patient or their loved ones.
Studies found that the leading causes of postpartum depression include hormonal changes, past depressive episodes, insomnia, or genetic susceptibility.[2] Besides, preterm births, tension, stress, income problems, lack of social life, and traumas can also cause PPD in many women.
Postpartum depression shows up after a mother delivers her child and can remain for more than two weeks. During and after pregnancy, a woman's body changes unpredictably. They go through physical, hormonal, and mental changes that may affect their minds and bodies differently.
Sitting in a crowded place with her relatives and loved ones, she can feel lonely. She might also start crying badly as a lost baby. This is how postpartum depression affects a mother.
Now you may think, how often does postpartum depression occur? Postpartum depression can trigger a new mom after her pregnancy; this is a phase in which a mother is lost and needs a helping hand who can understand and listen to her patiently.
Symptoms of PPD
The most common symptoms are:
- Zero energy and motivation
- Sad feelings
- Crying out loudly or silently
- Feeling guilty, anxious, angry, heartbroken, or unwanted
- Loss of appetite
- Relationship spaces with your partner
- Sleeping too much or facing insomnia
If you notice the symptoms mentioned above after delivery, visit your healthcare professional.
Postpartum Psychosis
Postpartum psychosis is a severe mental illness that affects 1% of women out of 100 after giving birth. Many women experience mild mood swings after giving birth.
These mild mood changes are also known as the "baby blues." This condition is completely normal and can usually settle within a few days or weeks by taking extra care.
But consider postpartum psychosis a different term from the "baby blues." PPD is a triggering mental condition that should be taken care of immediately after delivery.
It can be treated with time while following some proper ways and steps. In postpartum psychosis, hallucinations occur like hearing, smelling, feeling, or seeing things not there is psychosis.
Diagnosis
Can you control postpartum depression? Yes! You can, but it is necessary to diagnose the symptoms of postpartum depression at the right time. PPD can also cause suicidal thoughts, and patients may endanger their life. This is how postpartum depression affects the whole family if left unchecked.
How Does Postpartum Depression Go Away?
Postpartum depression is hazardous and requires a proper treatment plan to bring the mother back to life, just like before. The most common treatment for the PPD includes the following:
1. Treatment
Can you control postpartum depression? Yes! Postpartum depression is curable! Treatment and recovery times of the patients may vary according to their conditions.
▪️ Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is one of the most common treatments for postpartum depression and can treat in minimal time.
In psychotherapy, you can freely talk to your physiologist regarding your feelings, thoughts, and mental health.
They are the professionals that intend to keep your treatments, secrets, and feelings safe and secure in their hearts and provide you with a helping hand just like a true friend.
Your psychotherapist will set a goal for you to solve your feelings, cope with anger, solve your problems on your own and find your happy soul that is lost somewhere.
▪️ Antidepressants
How postpartum depression is treated with antidepressants is a commonly asked question by new mommies and daddies.
After your healthcare provider has diagnosed your condition and stage, they will provide you with the treatment, keeping in mind your situation. If your depression can't be treated by talk therapy, they'll go for antidepressants.
Antidepressants work on your mind to relax and make you feel like yourself again. It helps in soothing the chemicals called neurotransmitters in your mind that cause depression.[3]
Antidepressants are a slower process; it can take several days or weeks for antidepressants to get fully activated in your body.
Be patient while going for antidepressant therapy. If you're breastfeeding your child, worry not; your healthcare provider will prescribe you medications that will be safe for your child.
Staying close to your friends and relatives while facing postpartum depression also helps.
2. Lifestyle Changes and Home Remedies
Following a healthy lifestyle and some home remedies can also work wonders in treating your PPD. If you want to get rid of this condition faster without using medicines, then:
- Go out on walks to get some fresh air.
- Participate in your family and friends' activities to keep them in touch with you.
- Also, add these few organic foods to your diet, like flax seeds, chia seeds, and salmon, as they are rich in vitamins. Vitamins are essential for your inner and outer growth and will help in your quick recovery.
- Remember to take out extra time for yourself. You can easily forget yourself when you bring your little joy into this world. Get dressed up and leave the house often.
- Go for groceries, and visit a salon to get facials, manicures, and relaxing massages.
- Spend as much time as you want outside while carrying your baby in a stroller or carrier. This way, you can also bond with them while having a good relaxing time.
- Also, plan dinner dates with your partner, and always stay close to your better half. It will take your relationship to another level even after having a baby and makes you feel relaxed.
☛ Yogas
Can postpartum depression be treated without medication? Definitely! By doing mind-relaxing yogas, you can treat your depression without medicines while sitting at home.
Now you must be thinking about how long the postpartum depression treatment lasts. Worry not. We've got you covered in this as well.
Lay on your mat and perform them with full enthusiasm daily for a few minutes or hours, keeping in mind your strengths. Try the awesome yoga poses mentioned below to return to your everyday life in no time.
- Child's Pose
- Five-pointed star pose
- Cat-Cow pose
- Savasana pose
- Mountain Pose
- Knees to heart pose
- Goddess pose
- Bridge Pose
- Chair Pose
- Boat Pose
☛ Exercises
Exercise also plays a vital role in treating your depression like a miracle.
You can feel more relaxed and energized after doing exercises. Join a gym, hire a trainer or do it on your own. The choice is all yours!
According to research, exercise induces better sleep and helps to manage stress.[4] You can also lose weight and regain your abdominal muscle strength like before.
Below are the best exercises we have dug out for your convenience;
- Pelvic Tilt Exercise
- Happy Baby Pose
- Belly Breathing
- Kegel Exercise
- Head Lifts, Shoulder Lifts, and Curl-Ups
- Bonus Workouts for Baby and Mom
Do these exercises, but remember not to strain your body and put an extra burden on it. Always relax and perform one task simultaneously to cope with your depression.
Fight off PPD with SUPMOGO RecoveryFlex System Belt
Postpartum depression is real, but it doesn't mean you can't do much to keep it in check. The SUPMOGO RecoveryFlex System Belt can support keeping all those postpartum cramps and aches in check.
This fantastic belt works on Advanced Targeting Technology. It is a great way to exercise your back muscles and abdomen after delivery which tends to get sore and crampy as the uterus tries to shift back to its original shape.
So, investing in a belt that relieves your pain and helps in the postpartum journey can prove fruitful. We hope you pull through those baby blues like a champ with SUPMOGO Fitness Belt.
Final Thoughts
Rest as much as possible after you deliver your baby, and ask for help from your partner, friends, or relatives to look after your baby.
Never take the whole responsibility on your shoulder as it is the best answer to how postnatal depression can be treated at home.
Try taking your supplements and diet on time to keep your body healthy and fit for your little one. Enjoy your motherhood to the fullest!
[1] Pearlstein, T., Howard, M., Salisbury, A., & Zlotnick, C. (2009). Postpartum depression. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 200(4), 357-364.
[2] van der Zee-van, A. I., Boere-Boonekamp, M. M., Groothuis-Oudshoorn, C. G., & Reijneveld, S. A. (2021). Postpartum depression and anxiety: a community-based study on risk factors before, during and after pregnancy. Journal of Affective Disorders, 286, 158-165.
[3] Taylor, C., Fricker, A. D., Devi, L. A., & Gomes, I. (2005). Mechanisms of action of antidepressants: from neurotransmitter systems to signaling pathways. Cellular signalling, 17(5), 549-557.
[4] Dolezal, B. A., Neufeld, E. V., Boland, D. M., Martin, J. L., & Cooper, C. B. (2017). Interrelationship between sleep and exercise: a systematic review. Advances in preventive medicine, 2017.