5 signs of postpartum depression you should know

They say “If evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands?” How true? Motherhood is undoubtedly one of the greatest experiences for a woman and yet the toughest one too. Catherine Jones explains it perfect - Whether your pregnancy was meticulously planned, medically coaxed, or happened by surprise, one thing is certain—your life will never be the same. Yes, and it all starts right from the day you get to know that you are pregnant. Once you deliver a baby, it feels like you are in a job that from the first day demands for long work hours, sleepless nights and tiresome days. So, little anxiousness during pregnancy and post delivery is normal. However, if your baby blues refuse to go away even few weeks after your baby is born, it might be a sign of postpartum depression !

Around 1 in 10 new mothers develop postpartum depression. Here are 5 signs indicating that you are suffering from it. Head to a doctor straight if you are. The earlier you seek treatment, the sooner you will start feeling better.  

1. Your mood swings don’t get better even two weeks post delivery

It is common to have mood swings during your baby’s first 2 weeks. However, you should ideally feel better after that. If you still feel sad, get continuous feelings of hopelessness even weeks later, and the feelings grow intense, making your mood go on an emotional roller coaster every day, that’s more than baby blues. It is postpartum depression.    

2. You have persistent feelings of sadness and/or guilt

Feeling upset once in a while is OK. However, if you have crying spells often, or if you feel persistently unhappy about being a mother, or get stressed about the fact that you will not be a good mother, if you get a feeling of guilt about parenting your child, these may be among the first signs of postpartum depression.   

3. You lost interest in things you enjoyed doing earlier

You don’t enjoy watching your favorite romcom anymore, you do not feel like getting affectionate with your partner, no gifts or good gestures make you happy, you don’t enjoy the foods you loved before are all signs of postpartum depression.  

4. Making decisions just seems like not your cup of tea

For someone who used to decide about everything, right from what to cook at home to the budgets at work place, is it getting difficult even to decide whether or not to get out of bed, take a bath; take your baby for some fresh air, or even whether or not to change your baby’s diaper? If yes, you might be suffering from postpartum depression.

5. You think about harming yourself or your baby

The worst sign of postpartum depression is getting thoughts of suicide, or hurting yourself or your baby. These are the advanced symptoms of postpartum depression, also known as postpartum psychosis, which is a rare and serious mental illness. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you need to take immediate medical help.

Homeopathy has proven to be effective in treatment of postpartum depression. Visit your nearest homeopath for getting help with treating it. x