Around 80 percent of new moms will suffer from the baby blues. Sometimes, this occurs for a week as the hormones change and the body gets used to them but there are times when this turns into postpartum depression and becomes a serious problem.
Most women will not want to admit about being depressed and will feel like this is just another form of proof that they are unable to look after their new baby. It leads to a downward spiral as the mother focuses more on the negative points rather than what she can do for the baby. She'll start to spend more time away from the infant and fail to appreciate the amazing beauty that has been produced.
There is a lot of danger for the baby and the mother when postpartum depression is not cared for but there are a few treatment options to fall back on if needed. According to the CDC, around 20 percent of new moms are affected with this type of depression and will need help dealing with it.
The first option that many doctors fall back on is antidepressants. These are a class of drugs, which have been proven to be affective. There is now a move away from the use of antidepressants as more people prefer to opt for natural methods.
Psychotherapy is now a common option. This includes treatments such as EFT, which is Emotional Freedom Technique, or CBT, which is cognitive behavior therapy. Both have been proven to be helpful since they offer a way to distract from or stop stop about negative parts of the life and focus on the good parts; they also offer the chance for the mother to talk about her fears and anxieties, while helping her to learn more about her condition.
The support from a family is extremely important. This is not just from the partner but also from other relatives and friends. The new mom will need some rest and take some time for herself and it's helpful to have friends to help her with that. Just folding laundry or doing the washing up can give the new mom a chance to rest for 10 minutes and feel more rejuvenated.
A healthy eating plan can also help with easing postpartum depression. The benefit of eating healthily is that the baby weight will drop quicker and the body will feel more energized. This can help the new mom both mentally and physically. Exercise can also help to relieve some of the stress of being a new parent.
If none of these work and the antidepressants have been tried, there are stronger medications available for the new mom to take. These antipsychotic drugs are only used in rare cases when the postpartum depression has become a serious condition, resulting in delusions or harmful thoughts that put the mother and baby at serious risk.