...Postpartum Depression I always thought that Postpartum Depression was not a real condition, until I had my second son, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. It was so overwhelming to suddenly realize that this was a very real condition and that it was happening to me. Postpartum Depression is a depressive disorder that can occur any time after your baby is born, up until one year after the birth. It can vary from mild symptoms, to severe symptoms, to suicidal thoughts and actions. It can affect women and men from all walks of life. Postpartum Depression is a very serious condition and should be treated as such. Postpartum Depression can be defined as; postpartum: occurring in or being the period following parturition. Parturition: the action of or process of giving birth to offspring. Depression: a psychoneurotic or psychotic disorder marked esp. by sadness, inactivity, difficulty with thinking and concentration, a significant increase or decrease in appetite and time spent sleeping, feelings of dejection and hopelessness, and sometimes suicidal thoughts or an attempt to commit suicide (Merriam-Webster’s, Merriam-Webster’s Medical Desk Dictionary, Springfield, Massachusetts, Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, 2005). There are other terms associated with Postpartum Depression. Some people think that Postpartum is the same thing as having the “Baby Blues”, which it is not. The baby blues commonly only last a few days to a few weeks, at most, and are very mild symptoms of crying,...
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...Depression (major depressive disorder or clinical depression) is a common but serious mood disorder. It causes severe symptoms that affect how you feel, think, and handle daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, or working. To be diagnosed with depression, the symptoms must be present for at least two weeks. Some forms of depression are slightly different, or they may develop under unique circumstances, such as: Persistent depressive disorder (also called dysthymia) is a depressed mood that lasts for at least two years. A person diagnosed with persistent depressive disorder may have episodes of major depression along with periods of less severe symptoms, but symptoms must last for two years to be considered persistent depressive disorder....
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...Postpartum depression is a severe form of depression disorder that is related to childbirth and pregnancy. It is also one of the common mental health concern among women and very different from the usual postpartum “blues”. Typically, the depression often starts during the first three weeks after birth and last up to a year. It could cause some severe mood swings and exhaustion for the mothers. The symptoms for PPD is similarly the same as clinical depression and may include specific fear and thoughts about harming the baby. Some of the emotional symptoms that mothers usually experience are unstable emotions, which includes unpredictable crying and sadness, loss of pleasure and excitement, sudden mood swings, feeling guilty and worthlessness,...
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...Postpartum Depression Dalisa Sanchez ECPI University After 9 months of being pregnant, a beautiful baby is born. The baby is the perfect joy that brings to your life whether the baby was planned or not. Having a baby may mean the world but to some mothers it may just seem like the end of their lives. After being discharge out of the hospital you’re basically on your own. There’s no nurses around to help or doctors to check up on you every 2 to 4 hours. Now you are completely on your own, sounds hard doesn’t it? Well that’s where the postpartum depression comes in, whether it is right after being discharged or a couple of weeks after being discharged. There’s 2 types of depression there is early onset known as “baby blues” and late onset...
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...Paternal Postpartum Depression Introduction Paternal postpartum depression is a concept that has, only recently, gained some recognition within the mental health community and among clinicians. Male depression and sadness are generally taboos cross culturally. Admitting to depressive symptoms may be considered a sign of weakness, carrying shame and degrading self-worth for men. Due to these stigmas, male depression is significantly under reported comparative to female depression. Defining and quantifying patterns of paternal postpartum depression are the foundation for providing support not only for new fathers, but the family unit as a whole. Statistical Analysis of Prevalence Evidence shows that there is a strong correlation between maternal postpartum depression and that in new fathers. According to one study, 24%-50% of men who experience postpartum depression have depressed partners (Melrose, 2010). Similar statistics have been reviewed in the referenced article Paternal postpartum depression: How can nurses begin to help? by Sherri Melrose. Many of these studies discuss the depressive symptoms of mothers and fathers within the first few months of parenthood. Maternal postpartum depression has been recorded in up to 19.7% of mothers within the first month of giving birth, and fathers are found to be at much greater risk in these cases (Melrose, 2010). Although most of the hormonal data related to pre- & post-natal depression are of female subjects, some...
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...considerable complexity that may manifest itself as a postpartum psychiatric disorder. Many physical and emotional changes can occur to a woman during the time of her pregnancy as well as following the birth of her child. These particular changes can leave a new mother feeling sad, anxious, afraid and confused (Nami.org). For many women, these feelings; which are known as baby blues, go away fairly quickly. But when they do not go away or rather they get worse, a woman may be experiencing the effects of postpartum depression (PPD). This is a serious condition that describes a range of physical and emotional changes and that requires prompt treatment from a health care provider. According to Mauthner, (1999) postpartum depression occurs when women are unable to experience, express and validate their feelings and needs within supportive, accepting and non-judgmental interpersonal relationships and cultural contexts. Postpartum depression is defined as a mild to moderate mood disturbance occurring between birth and six months post birth, rather than the less frequent, more severe postpartum psychosis, or the more prevalent but transient blues (Crokenberg & Leerkes, 2003). The postpartum period is unique in the development of mental illness. As stated by O'hara & Zekoski (1988), approximately 10% to 30% of mothers report clinical levels of depression during the postpartum period. Although the current literature divides the spectrum of postpartum mood disorders into three distinct categories...
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...Depression has been described, as 'the common cold of all psychological disorders' as 7 to 12 per cent of men and 20 to 25 per cent of women will suffer from depression in their lifetime. Postpartum Depression or PPD is a serious disease that affects as many as 60 percent of new mothers. The new mother’s may not feel love for their newborn and may have no energy to take care of the child. They may also suffer from insomnia, excessive eating, anorexia, or even hyperventilation. They often feel guilty and worthless because they know that they should not feel this way. There is no set pattern for those who are most likely to be affected by Postpartum Depression. The purpose of researching Postpartum Depression and the treatments is to learn how to better care for the women and their children. Postpartum Depression is a serious illness and without proper treatment and attention the children born to women who develop Postpartum Disease may grow up without proper care and in the most serious of cases, some children die of neglect or abuse. The articles used for this paper investigate the mother’s relationship with their partner during pregnancy, the perception of prenatal partner support, the association of maternal and paternal PPD, and the associations of relationship adjustment and symptoms of depressions and anxiety. The knowledge gain from researching this topic and from the articles is that spousal support has become a very big factor in postpartum depression. Spousal support...
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...Predictors of Postpartum Depression Postpartum depression is a disorder that causes significant functional impairment and develops risks of poor mother-infant bonding and can delay infant development. PPD is “a physical and emotional condition that may be life-threatening, involving the symptoms of depression occurring from a month to one year following childbirth and thought to be caused in part to dramatic hormonal shifts occurring in conjunction with childbirth.” (Piotrowski & Benson, 2017) Postpartum depression symptoms often involve feelings of sadness, restlessness, guilt, insomnia, decreased energy and motivation, unexplained weight changes, frequent crying, irritability, and lessened feelings of self-worth. Research question Recognition...
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...Ebony Nelson Postpartum Psychosis Critical Reasoning Paper February 24, 2015 Postpartum psychosis is a very serious problem for some women. Some women can experience postpartum depression after childbirth which is defined as “depression suffered by a mother following childbirth, typically arising from the combination of hormonal changes, psychological adjustment to motherhood, and fatigue.” In most cases postpartum depression subsides without treatment. In a few cases, however, postpartum psychosis can occur by experiencing sudden onset of psychotic symptoms. “Signs and symptoms of PP typically appear soon after childbirth, usually within 2 weeks of delivery, but some women don't experience symptoms until several months later. Although the cause of PP is unknown, signs and symptoms appear to be triggered in high-risk women by the rapid hormonal changes that occur after childbirth” (Rosinger, 2012). “Symptoms can include hallucinations, delusions, confusion, extreme agitation, rapid mood swings, and inability to sleep or eat” (Logsdon, 2012). The delusions and hallucinations are perceived as consistent with the mother's reality. She is not distressed by thoughts of harming her infant and can act on these thoughts. Psychotic mothers sometimes believe they need to harm their baby so that they can save the baby. The most significant risk factors for postpartum psychosis are a personal or family history of bipolar disorder, or a previous psychotic episode. For many women with...
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...depressed and frustrated, feeling like she had failed. Finally, she found out her dream had come true she was pregnant. She had a great and uneventful pregnancy and gave birth to a baby girl. But something was wrong because instead of being happy and relieved that her dreams came true, she could do nothing but cry. Is this normal or is this mother whose dreams have come true suffering from Post Partum Depression (PPD). Biological Component Post Partum Depression has been found to affect between 10- 12 percent of mother after the birth. PPD is different from what most of us would call “the baby blues,” which in all actuality affect around 70% of women after birth (Meyer, Chapman, & Weaver, 2009). In most instances a women who has suffered from Post Partum Depression in the past are 41% more likely to experience it again (APA, 2011). It also seems that women who go through in vitro fertilization are at a greater risk to experience Post Partum Depression (PPD) due to the hormone imbalance during treatment. Researchers are not sure of the exact causes of Post Partum Depression (PPD), but often suggest that many different factors...
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...mood, behavior and emotion.“ Bipolar disorder is a complex disorder in which the core feature is pathological disturbance in mood ranging from extreme elation, or mania, to severe depression usually accompanied by disturbances in thinking and behavior, which may include psychotic symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations” (Craddock, Jones 1999). Major depressive disorder or unipolar depression is characterized by a consistent low mood and lack of interest in things typically enjoyed .A second classification of major depressive disorder, is dysthymic disorder which is a chronic but less severe form of major depression (John W. Santrock 2007). Also major depression has many subgroups including seasonal affect disorder and postpartum depression. While there are many treatment options for the symptoms of mood disorders and promising scientific research, much is still unknown about a disorder that affects so many lives. According to Dinsmoor, R. S. &ump; Odle, T. G. (2009), bipolar depression refers to a condition in which people experience two extremes in mood. The bipolar spectrum includes; bipolar I, bipolar 2, bipolar NOS (not otherwise specified) and cyclothymia and all are related to disturbances in mood but differ in severity of symptoms. They are differentiated by the “impact the symptoms have on the person’s social or occupational function” (Duckworth &ump; Sachs 2011). Typically bipolar I is more severe than bipolar II and bipolar II is more severe than Cyclothymia...
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...OLAGOKE-ERINOMO DOC. POST PARTUM DEPRESSION: THE NURSING ROLE 1.0 INTRODUCTION Post-partum depression is a common complication of pregnancy; as many as one in five women in British Columbia will experience significant depression in relation to her pregnancy and childbirth (BC Reproductive Mental Health Program, 2006) Perinatal depression – which occurs from the time of conception to one year after childbirth – is a significant health issue. The research literature indicates that ten to twenty percent of women are affected by perinatal depression while BC data indicate that twelve percent of women between nine months prenatal and nine months postnatal receive physician services for depression (BC Reproductive Mental Health Program, 2006). Postpartum depression is used loosely to refer to a collection of emotional symptoms associated with pregnancy and childbirth. It can be conceptualized as a continuum with symptoms worsening over time in some women (Clemmens, Driscoll, & Beck, 2004 as cited in Bowles B, Coleman N, & Jansen L, 2011). There are three levels of severity: baby blues, postpartum depression, and postpartum psychosis. Baby blues are experienced as mood swings, crying spells, sadness, anxiety, or dependency (Bennett & Indman, 2003 as cited in Bowles B, et al, 2011). Other symptoms might include impatience, irritability, restlessness, or loneliness (USDHHS, 2002 as cited in Bowles B, et al 2011). These symptoms are sometimes attributed to rapid physical...
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...about mental illness. There is more awareness of it overall, plus more understanding of specific disorders: instead of just depression there is major depression, manic depression, bipolar disorder, SAD, psychotic depression, postpartum depression, and many others.Each specific illness under the umbrella has its own unique thing which makes them stand away from the rest, whether it be a different symptom or why its brought on. Different...
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...EDU-233022-01X December 3, 2014 Research Paper Trauma and Birth Healing from a traumatic birthing experiences could be achieved through reflection. A traumatic birth experience can be described differently by all demographics of women and cover a wide range of reasons for labeling the birth as traumatic. According to Katherine Stone of Postpartum Progress (1) One of the leading causes of post-partum post-traumatic stress disorder is when a women’s reflection of her birth includes some recollection of feeling as if either her life of that of her child was in danger. In some instances depending on if a mother was predisposed to depression or other mental illness, either by prior diagnosis or genetics this recollection of trauma may be very minor in comparison to another experience. We must be open minded when discussing something as a trauma, what might be considered traumatic to one person may have been no issue for another. Katherine Stone of Postpartum Progress describes this as “The actual experience, and how the mother feels about her experience, both matter.” Trauma is defined by Webster dictionary as “Any physical damage to the body causes by violence or accident or fracture etc.” as well as, ”an emotional wound or shock often having long lasting effect.” Synonyms: Psychic trauma. So how do we learn from a traumatic birth? First we must learn to ask the tough questions. We can’t be afraid to ask our healthcare providers for clarification on what events led to the traumatic...
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...Baby Yellows “The Yellow Wallpaper”, a short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is an unnerving tale about a woman and her spiral into psychosis. Mirroring the author’s actual experiences with depression and the “resting cure”, the story criticizes medical care that ignores patient concerns and deprives them of emotional outlets that could have been beneficiary towards a healthy mind. Set in the late nineteenth century, “The Yellow Wallpaper” illustrates the psychological effects of the popular “resting cure” and how the narrator is influcenced by it. While the illness the narrator has is never actually said, it is very heavily implied that she is suffering from postpartum depression. Eventually, her husband’s reliance on the “resting cure” and denying her healthy mental activities is what causes her depression to grow into postpartum psychosis. Postpartum depression is a form of depression typically affecting women after childbirth. Symptoms of postpartum depression include hallucinations and delusions, extreme agitation or anxiety, overwhelming fatigue, bizarre behavior, mood swings, inability or refusal to eat or sleep, and over worrying about the infant. The narrator showcases all of these symptoms, leading to the heavy assumption that she is suffering from postpartum depression. The narrator regularly experiences hallucinations, seeing a woman trapped behind bars in the pattern of the wallpaper. Gilman writes, “The front pattern does move- and no wonder! The woman behind...
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