PPD Tip Sheet

Baby Blues

• 80% of women experience what is called “baby blues” which occurs around day 3 postpartum and lasts less than 2 weeks.
  
• You may feel overwhelmed, sad, anxious, fatigued, or have no appetite.
  
• Thoughts like “I don’t even want this baby” or “What was I thinking?” are normal. They don’t mean you’re a bad mother or will have them forever.
  
• If you experience these thoughts after 2 weeks, you may have Postpartum Depression.
  

Postpartum Depression & Anxiety

• About 10-15% of all postpartum women experience more serious depression and anxiety and can begin at any time during the first year after birth.
  
• Risk factors include previous depression/anxiety or PPD, social isolation or poor support, abrupt weaning, history of premenstrual syndrome, mood changes while taking birth control pills and prenatal loss.
  
• You may feel a sense of despair, want to sleep all the time or have insomnia, have frightening thoughts about your baby or yourself, feel constantly fearful about your baby’s health or be unable to get through your day to day activities.
  
• Thoughts like “I’ll never be myself again”, “I’m a terrible mother”, “I just don’t care anymore” or “No one understands” are symptoms of PPD.
  

Coping With Postpartum Depression 

• Talk to family or friends who can support you through this time. You want to ensure you are not alone and isolated. Access local support groups.
  
• Express all your anger or sadness, keeping those feelings inside you won’t help you recover.
  
• Look to the Internet and books to educate yourself on PPD.
  
• Get as much sleep as you can. Rest when your baby does and don’t worry about keeping the house clean or friends entertained.
  
• Ensure you are taking as much time for yourself as possible. Take a walk, a bath, get a manicure or read a book. Allowing yourself to reconnect with your spirit will help.
  
• Consider talking to your health care provider, general wellness practitioner or therapist.
  
• Pay attention to the good times and try to remain present in your day rather than worrying about the future or stressing over the past.
  

Your Postpartum Year

• Baby Blues Connection is a local organization created to help mothers through PPD. They are available 24/7 by calling 503.797.2843. You can also find them at www.babybluesconnection.org
  
• If you need additional referrals for therapists, psychiatrist, support groups, please let me know, I can help.
  
• I am also available as a Postpartum Doula and can help you through this time by taking care of your baby while you spend time with yourself, helping around the house or just chatting.
  

Allowing Postpartum Depression to be Talked About Prenatally

I wanted to send a book about Postpartum Depression (PPD) as part of a baby shower present to some dear friends. My husband however, thought it might be taken the wrong way and they might feel weird about receiving such a negative message - like I was trying to tell them they were crazy. And unfortunately he was right. It's just not okay a lot of the times to give that kind of helpful present to people without worrying that they will think that you think they are not good parents.

It makes me so sad to see how little PPD is spoken about to pregnant moms. Their might be a small paragraph about baby blues in a pregnancy book or their caregiver might mention PPD after she has given birth, but unless mom knows enough about PPD to want to learn more, she has to get that information herself.

So, here are mothers, not supported in thinking that perhaps she won't feel connected with her new baby. That it's normal and okay to wonder if she made a mistake in having a baby or that she isn't cut out to be a new mom. All these thoughts are totally normal and a lot of moms feel that lack of bonding or just going through the motions with their new baby. They don't mean she has PPD or that she is a bad mom.

PPD comes into play when these thoughts last longer than two weeks and mom doesn't get any relief from her sadness or anxiety. Meaning, she doesn't have windows of feeling loving and peaceful.

So, how do we get the word out about PPD to pregnant and new moms without worrying about hurting their feelings, spoiling their idea of what could happen after birth or upsetting friends? Any ideas?

Thoughts on Postpartum Depression

There are times in every life when we feel hurt or alone...

But I believe that these times when we feel lost

and all around us seems to be falling apart are really bridges

of growth.

We struggle and try to recapture the security of what was,

But almost in spite of ourselves, we emerge on the other side

with a new understanding, a new awareness, a new strength.

It is almost as through we must go through the pain

and the struggle

in order to grow and reach new heights.

-Sue Mitchell