Postpartum depression, something you may have heard of as the seemingly similar, ‘baby blues’. The baby blues are commonly associated with postpartum depression, though the differences are quite vast. A majority of women go through the ‘baby blues’, around 85%, which last for about 3-5 days, consisting of mood swings, disconnection to the baby and a feeling of emptiness. This is due to the increase of estrogen and progesterone levels, which are their highest 24 hours after giving birth. Most mothers bounce back after these few days, but postpartum depression is different. It is also quite common among mothers, affecting around one out of five mothers, though not as widely talked about. It lasts for more than 2 weeks and its symptoms can surface after up to a year after giving birth.
The question remains, if this many mothers go through it, then why is it not more widely discussed? Many mothers are ashamed or guilty about their postpartum depression, feeling that they should be overjoyed and glowing after being a new mother, but struggle due to their condition. Symptoms of postpartum depression include guilt, shame, emptiness, anxiety, and panic attacks. The whiplash of suddenly feeling overwhelmed with life changes made for the baby, overwhelmed over motherhood, exhaustion, and feeling unattractive after pregnancy. Many women feel the pressure to connect with their child, change their entire lives, and try to be a good mother on top of that. Having postpartum depression on top of that stops many mothers from talking to others or even realizing what they are going through.
Actress Brooke Shields commented on the subject saying,”I had no desire to even pretend to care about her. And it absolutely terrified me,”. Later she added that she didn’t want new moms suffering from PPD to feel stigmatized. This is especially an issue as the thing women in these situations need the most is a support system. Sadly though, many women feel the stigmatization of not only their symptoms, but of the diagnosis itself. “I thought women with PPD wanted to hurt their babies”, says Melissa Ryncroft, mentioning how her symptoms were vastly different from the harmful stereotypes surrounding the disorder, making it harder to finally get help.
In order to get the necessary therapy, support from family and friends, and in some cases, medicine to cope, the conversation about postpartum depression needs to be brought up. Suffering in silence is never the answer, and opens up discussion including support groups and conversations about what can be done at home to relieve moms stress. (ie. more sleep, less work blah blah). Rcoz strives to help in the effort to remove stigmatization on mental health issues, and provide support to those in need, especially those who feel they cannot speak out.