How to Deal With Postpartum Depression?

Women often face postpartum depression or a mood disorder after giving birth. Postpartum depression leads women to feel extremely depressed, anxious, helpless, and exhausted, which can make it challenging for them to take care of their daily needs.

As a result, women might feel they are unwilling to care for or form a bond with their child. So, if you are looking for answers on how to overcome postpartum depression, continue reading!

The best approach to identify and treat PPD is to consult a doctor. They can assess your symptoms and come up with the most effective procedure for you. Also, psychotherapy, antidepressants, or a combination of the two may be helpful for you.

Nevertheless, here are the best ways to deal with postpartum depression –

1. Maintain a Healthy Diet

Just healthy nutrition is not enough to treat PPD. However, developing the tendency to eat nutrient-dense meals can improve your health and provide your body with the vitamins and minerals it requires.

Consider organising your meals over the weekend and perhaps making some healthy snacks. Think about simple-to-grab whole foods that you can take on the run, such as sliced apples and peanut butter or cheese and carrots that have been diced.

2. Do Not Isolate Yourself

A Canadian Journal of Psychiatry study demonstrates that sharing your emotions with others can improve your mood. After routinely conversing with experienced mothers who had previously suffered PPD, researchers found that new mothers had reduced levels of depression. These results persisted for four and then eight weeks following birth.

3. Exercise When You Can

According to Australian researchers, exercise may help PPD-stricken women feel less depressed. For instance, taking your child for a stroll in a stroller might be a simple way to get some exercise and fresh air. 

A statistically significant method of reducing depression was also found to be walking, as mentioned in a study published in the journal Mental Health and Physical Activity.

4. Examine Your Breastfeeding

According to a 2012 study, breastfeeding may lower your risk of experiencing PPD. This so-called protection could last up until the fourth month following birth.

However, there are also instances where women experience signs of depression while breastfeeding. D-MER, or dysmorphic milk ejection reflex, is the medical term for this disorder. So, when you have D-MER, it's possible to have abrupt sensations of depression, agitation, or fury that persist for a while.

5. Create Time For Yourself

You could feel confined to nursing on the couch after giving birth. Perhaps your workload, domestic duties, or those of your older kids might make you feel overburdened. Don't try to handle these pressures on your own, rather ask for assistance. Allow your spouse or another responsible adult to watch the child for an hour or two.

Additionally, setting aside some time each week for "me time" could be beneficial, as self-care during postpartum depression is important. You can make use of this time to unwind, even if you can only leave the house in between nursing sessions. Above all, don’t forget to take a walk, nap, watch a movie, practise yoga, or meditate.

6. Focus on Fish Oils

Additionally, now is an excellent time to increase your consumption of DHA and other omega-3 fatty acids. It is found that postpartum depression is more common in women with low DHA levels. Note that a great food source of DHA is seafood, so to deal with postpartum depression, it might be a good idea to consume it more often. Another excellent option is flaxseed oil if you're a vegetarian.

7. Make Time To Rest

According to a 2009 study, women who slept the least exhibited the most depression symptoms. This specifically applied to women who slept for less than four hours between midnight and six in the morning or took fewer than 60 minutes of naps throughout the day. Hence, getting enough rest as much as possible throughout the day is recommended.

8. Psychotherapy

Overcoming postpartum depression all alone can be challenging. So, a medical approach is preferred for PPD, which is psychotherapy. This approach entails discussing your ideas and feelings with a mental health expert. You can practise coping mechanisms and problem-solving techniques during your sessions.

Additionally, to feel good and more in command, you can make goals and figure out how to handle various scenarios. Your doctor might also recommend antidepressants under severe circumstances.

Postpartum depression is frequent. Around 15% of women will experience postpartum depression after giving birth. The impacts range widely and some of the adverse health effects include –

• Difficulty in sleeping
• Appetite shifts
• Extreme tiredness
• Reduced libido
• Recurring mood swings

This article primarily deals with the question of how to overcome postpartum depression? It is important to note that postpartum depression (PPD) can develop after a few days, weeks, or even months following childbirth. Do not battle postpartum depression by yourself. Understand that being depressed is not your fault, and having depression does not make you a terrible parent.