Adult
Postpartum Depression
Adult Postpartum Depression
We are taught that having a baby is the happiest time in a woman’s life, but what may be less acknowledged is that it can also be one of the most stressful and anxiety-producing life transitions a woman will ever experience. It’s common for women to experience the “baby blues,” but up to one in seven women experience postpartum depression.
What is baby blues?
The baby blues is characterized by relatively mild symptoms such as irritability, depressed mood, and anxiety. It usually resolves within ten days of giving birth. Women who suffer from more severe baby blues symptoms are more likely to experience postpartum depression at a later point.
What is postpartum depression (PPD)?
PPD can at first look like the baby blues. They share many symptoms, including mood swings, crying, sadness, insomnia, and irritability. The difference is that the symptoms of PPD are more severe and longer-lasting. Symptoms may include lack of interest or negative feelings towards your baby, guilt, lack of energy, change in appetite and sleeping habits, or recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.
How does postpartum depression affects your baby?
If you’re struggling with symptoms of postpartum depression such as fatigue, irritability, apathy, and tearfulness, it is difficult—if not impossible—to properly look after your newborn’s needs. Your baby will be directly affected if your depression is left untreated. Children of depressed mothers are more likely to develop behavior problems, sleep problems, temper tantrums, hyperactivity, and developmental delays. The risk for social and emotional problems, language deficits, attentional problems, and depression may increase among children of depressed mothers.
Can Men Get Postpartum Depression?
While baby blues and postpartum depression are commonly associated with women, men are also susceptible to similar symptoms and conditions. The changes in a new father’s life can become overwhelming and cause severe mood and hormone shifts. Male postpartum depression can occur right before or after birth as fathers adjust to their new lives with a baby. Some signs of depression in men include:
- Feeling increased irritability, anger, or aggression.
- Overworking.
- Withdrawing from or acting distant with friends and family.
- Feeling hopeless, overwhelmed, sad, frustrated, or discouraged.
Postpartum depression in men is fairly common. Men with a history of depression or a partner experiencing postpartum symptoms are more vulnerable to paternal postpartum depression.
Postpartum Depression and attachment
Mothers with postpartum depression interact less with their babies and are less likely to breastfeed, play with, and read to their children. They may also be inconsistent in the way they care for their newborns. Although depressed mothers can be loving and attentive at times, they may react negatively at other times or not react at all. This inconsistency disrupts the bonding process between mother and child. This emotional bonding process, known as attachment, is the most critical developmental process during infancy.
Signs of Postpartum Depression
Being tired is normal when you have a newborn, but feeling sad or hopeless all the time after birth is not. You may have PPD if your feelings and negative emotions toward your baby persist for more than two weeks. Here are some signs of early PPD you can look for if you feel off about your baby or parenting experience:
Your baby blues are consistent:
If your baby blues haven’t resolved after the standard first two weeks, you may have PPD.
Sadness and guilt consume your thoughts:
Being a new parent is challenging. However, having frequent cry sessions or feeling unhappy and guilty about being a parent is uncommon for people without PPD.
You've lost interest in everything:
Drastic changes in your mood and habits, like losing interest in everything you love, can also be an early sign of depression. While not having time to engage in your favorite activities is normal when you have a newborn, ultimately, cutting the activities out of your life with no desire to start again is concerning.
You have trouble sleeping:
Losing sleep is normal when you’re a new parent, but if you can’t find time to rest even when your baby is napping, or you always feel sleep deprived after resting, something could be wrong.
Your stress levels have increased:
Learning to adjust to a new baby in the home can be stressful, but if the stress causes you to constantly feel sad or fight with your partner, friends, or family, there could be an underlying issue. Stressful events in your life can trigger sadness and PPD when you least expect it.
Understanding the signs of PPD can help you and your partner determine if you are experiencing PPD and need to seek treatment. Postpartum depression therapy can help you check back into your family's life.
How Long Does Postpartum Depression Last?
Postpartum depression is different for every mother. The symptoms can lead to a long battle with mental health and ensuring the well-being of the mother and child. Postpartum depression can last for months or even years if there has been no proper treatment. Finding treatment for PPD is essential to ensuring you can bond with your baby in the most vital moments.
Greenwich Psychology Group provides postpartum depression therapy near Greenwich, Connecticut, and Manhattan, New York.
Treatment for Postpartum Depression
New mothers should remember that postpartum depression is a treatable condition. Greenwich Psychology Group offers evidence-based treatments. Our expert clinicians are well versed in various therapies for treating PPD:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Research has shown that CBT can be highly effective in helping with postpartum depression. The work involves:
- Identifying and acknowledging automatic thoughts
- Changing underlying beliefs
- Differentiating between realistic and false threats.
- Developing new and more helpful perspectives.
CBT helps new mothers develop coping strategies so that they feel better equipped to manage distress. To learn more about CBT, click here.
Psychodynamic Therapy
In this type of therapy, a new mother may be encouraged to talk about relationships with parents and other significant people to uncover how past experiences directly impact present distress. When moms can identify and accept these experiences as playing a role, they can begin the process of healing and experience a reduction in tension and distress. Treatment focuses on communication skills, building relationships, and increasing self-confidence. To learn more about Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, click here.
Couples Therapy
In some cases, our clinicians will suggest couples therapy to facilitate the healing process. Couples therapy provides a space for partners to be heard during a time of crisis. Couples will learn communication techniques and listening strategies necessary to help them work through challenges. Often in postpartum work, therapy will address issues related to changing dynamics in a relationship and intimacy challenges and address individual needs that may interfere with connection and are necessary for maintaining the health of a couple’s relationship. To learn more about Couples Therapy, click here.
Schedule a Consultation
Postpartum depression treatment can help you be a part of your baby’s life, ensuring you don’t miss out on your infants life. Greenwich Psychology Group can help you overcome your depression to live a fuller life for your family. We offer postpartum depression treatment in Manhattan, New York, and Greenwich, Connecticut.
Begin the journey to reclaiming your life and happiness with a new baby by requesting a consultation today.
Have questions? Ask our experts.Take the GPG Symptom Checker
At Greenwich Psychology Group, our symptom checker helps clients track their symptoms of depression or anxiety. Taking the assessment doesn't provide a formal diagnosis, but it can help you determine what next steps you may need to take. The evaluation uses a series of questions to review the feelings and symptoms you've experienced over the past two weeks. The results will help you distinguish if professional help is the best next step.
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