The birth of a baby can trigger a jumble of powerful emotions, from excitement and joy to fear and anxiety. But it can also result in something you might not expect — depression. Most new moms experience postpartum “baby blues” after childbirth, which commonly include mood swings, crying spells, anxiety and difficulty sleeping. Baby blues typically begin within the first two to three days after delivery and may last up to two weeks. But some new moms experience a more severe, long-lasting form of depression known as postpartum depression. Rarely, an extreme mood disorder called postpartum psychosis also may develop after childbirth. Postpartum depression isn’t a character flaw or a weakness. Sometimes it’s simply a complication of giving birth. If you have postpartum depression, prompt treatment can help you manage your symptoms and help you bond with your baby. Postpartum depression may be mistaken for baby blues at first — but the signs and symptoms are more intense and last longer. They may eventually interfere with your ability to care for your baby and handle other daily tasks. Symptoms usually develop within the first few weeks after giving birth but may begin earlier ― during pregnancy ― or later — up to a year after birth.
Postpartum depression signs and symptoms may include:
- Depressed mood or severe mood swings
- Excessive crying
- Difficulty bonding with your baby
- Withdrawing from family and friends
- Loss of appetite or eating much more than usual
- Inability to sleep (insomnia) or sleeping too much
- Overwhelming fatigue or loss of energy
- Reduced interest and pleasure in activities you used to enjoy
- Intense irritability and anger
- Fear that you’re not a good mother
- Hopelessness
- Feelings of worthlessness, shame & guilt
- Diminished ability to think clearly, concentrate or make decisions,
- Restlessness & severe anxiety, and panic attacks
- Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby.
- Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.
Untreated, postpartum depression may last for many months or longer. If you’re depressed after your baby’s birth, you may be reluctant or embarrassed to admit it. But if you experience any symptoms of postpartum baby blues or postpartum depression, call us at Ovum Hospitals and schedule an appointment. If you have symptoms that suggest you may have postpartum psychosis, get help immediately. We are the best maternity hospital in the Bangalore region because we care and understand.
At Ovum, our mantra is to treat our patients with compassion and empathy. We are modern because we understand that it has become taboo to talk about these things, but we firmly believe that only through talking can mothers receive adequate kind of help so they can come out of depression. Our experts listen and provide you with a comprehensive model of a support system so our mothers can fight postpartum depression because, as aforementioned, it could be deadly if left untreated. We at Ovum, offer you the most qualified and experienced gynecologists who guide you about these issues and ensure you are in safe hands. Our mantra is to stay with you until the end. We understand that childbirth isn’t where it all ends and begins simultaneously. Issues like postpartum depression are rampant, but few choose to address them.
We make sure that our mothers are emotionally and mentally supported even after our delivery task is successfully accomplished, which clearly makes us the best maternity hospital in Bangalore.