The Fight Against Postpartum Depression

Having a baby is one of the most exciting events to happen in someone’s life. Generally, people expect to be able to bounce back from it quickly and still be the same person they were before. However, that is not always how it works.

Patti Potts is a Family Nurse Practitioner who occasionally sees cases of women seeking treatment for postpartum depression. She explains that many women have trouble differentiating between ‘baby blues’ and postpartum depression.

“‘Baby blues’ are normal feelings of sadness that occur 3–5 days after childbirth and go away fairly quickly. Whereas postpartum depression is more severe; symptoms include crying, restlessness, mood swings, anger, panic attacks, insomnia, and difficulty bonding with the baby. Both are brought on by the dramatic drop in hormones that occurs within 24 hours after giving birth,” Potts said.

The CDC has more in-depth symptoms as well which include: withdrawing from loved ones, worrying that you will hurt the baby, and feeling guilty about not being a good mom or doubting your ability to care for the baby. Postpartum depression is a type of depression, so there are also similar symptoms between the two like: loss of interest in hobbies, loss of energy, difficulty falling asleep or sleeping too much, overeating or loss of appetite, thoughts of suicide or suicide attempts, and aches or pains that do not get better with treatment.

Potts also lists some risk factors for postpartum depression. Such as: history of depression prior to pregnancy, history a postpartum depression with other children and stressful situations at home. The CDC website’s list is more in-depth and includes risk factors like: low social support, difficulty getting pregnant, being a teen mom, preterm labor and delivery and having a baby who has been hospitalized.

Missouri Western has policies in place to accommodate students who are dealing with postpartum depression as well. Not only is the Counseling Center available free of charge to students, but if a student has been officially diagnosed from their doctor, there is also the Accessibility Resource Center.

“It all depends on if a student is willing to identify herself to me as having postpartum depression,” Dr. Bensyl said. “After baby two, I just wanted to sit and hold her all the time and cry.” Dr. Bensyl’s first-hand experience with postpartum depression allows her to relate to her students and speak to them about it on a personal level, thus creating a unique teacher/student relationship.

“It also depends on when the baby comes during the semester too,” Dr. Bensyl said. “If baby comes toward the end of the semester, a lot of times I’ll say, ‘I can offer you a delayed grade, but you need to know that if you don’t get it turned in on time, it becomes an F. So, if you think you can do this, it’s a viable option for you.’”

“Most of us are trying to balance all kinds of stuff,” Dr. Bensyl said. “Many of us have other children at home too, or if it’s the first child you’re overwhelmed because you’ve never done this before.”

“You know,” Dr. Bensyl said, “there’s nothing worst than telling someone to go eat their lunch in the bathroom. Telling a pregnant woman to feed her child in one of the filthiest places is just ridiculous.”

One of the most important aspects in the journey of postpartum depression is diagnosis and treatment.

Ronda Bridgeman is a Registered Medical Assistant in a general doctor’s office, where she has worked for several years.

“Over the years,” Bridgeman said, “we’ve had patients come into the office to discuss their issues with depression. Normally women who suffer from postpartum depression automatically go to their OBGYN, but we do get some instances where a woman uses our office for postnatal care and bring up those issues at their appointment. Postpartum depression is like regular depression in the sense that it is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, so it’s definitely treatable but depending on how easily managed it is, it may not be curable.”

Seeking treatment for postpartum depression is very important. Dr. Bensyl considers it one of the most important things a woman can do for herself and her baby.

“As a mother, and a person on this planet, people have a responsibility to go to the doctor and be treated for postpartum depression. Their child depends on them for everything and being healthy is the easiest way to make sure a woman can provide what her child needs. We hear all the time about those women who hurt or kill their children. Even though I think those cases are few and far between, it is still important to treat postpartum depression, so it doesn’t spiral out of control.”

The treatment for postpartum depression is similar to that of regular depression.

Talk therapy is normally the first step. It is used to determine a woman’s exact symptoms, and the severity of the issue, and can often times help the therapist determine which medication might work best. Ultimately, medication is used on a trial-and-error basis because different people react differently to medications.

Ronda Bridgeman offers another supplemental option for care, “Reassurance is one of the best things you can give a patient, or anyone who is suffering from any type of depression.”

The basis of using reassurance in counseling is to give the patient confidence in their treatment and their ability to overcome their circumstances. Using reassurance in therapy is very similar to using it when talking to a best friend or family member who is struggling. It is used to let the person know that everything is going to be okay.

One of the most disturbing things about postpartum depression is the taboo that is associated with it. In recent years, many taboo subjects have been brought into the limelight and people have acknowledged them and embraced them in society.

Bridgeman also added, “I feel this subject should become more open to everyone. People should not be afraid to ask for help and should be more open about their feelings.”

Unfortunately, all too often women who suffer from postpartum depression are seen as weak or unappreciative of being able to have a baby. However, recently celebrities like Crissy Teigen, Brooke Shields, Hayden Penettiere, and Adele have all spoken out about their own struggles with postpartum depression.

The only way to defeat the taboo is to speak out, to not be afraid of our own feelings, and to have the courage to ask for help when we need it. Being a mom is hard. Fighting depression is hard. Put them together, and it can be a recipe for disaster.

The most important thing for mothers who are suffering from postpartum depression to remember is that there are resources out there to help. There is no shame in asking for help, especially when it can only benefit yourself and your child.

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