Posts Tagged ‘PPD’
EPDS can help you determine if you are postpartum depressed
Perinatal mood disorders are the most common complication of childbirth. 15 – 20 % of women experience symptoms of depression and anxiety during pregnancy and in the first year after giving birth. Postpartum depression is the most common term used, but there are a few differential diagnoses that can be found in the perinatal mood distress category. Postpartum depression (PPD), postpartum anxiety (PPA), postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), bipolar disorders, postpartum psychosis and postpartum birth trauma. You can find out more about these categories at the BirthTouch® website or at Postpartum Support International.
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Mindbody Pregnancy and Postpartum Care
Pregnancy and birth are major adult transitions filled with joy, but the transition to parenthood can also bring up feelings of insecurity, sadness or fear as you and your partner move into this different phase of self-identity. Parenting an infant is difficult, but if one of you had a complicated early family life, parenting is like navigating rough waters, as flashbacks to unpleasant scenes from childhood intrude upon present reality.
If you’ve experienced a previous depression or anxiety or trauma or went through infertility treatments, have a baby in the NICU, or experienced childhood abuse, you have a higher risk that the physical and emotional changes of childbirth could bring on recurrent symptoms. Because of the hormonal fluctuations experienced at childbirth, 85% of all women experience the baby blues, which is a sadness after childbirth that resolves itself in about 2 weeks.
Featured in Science & Sensibility: One of a Kind: An Interview with Dr. Meltzer-Brody about UNC’s Inpatient Mother Baby Psych Unit
Featured in Science and Sensiblity: Childhood sexual abuse as a risk factor for postpartum depression (Part One)
Postpartum Depression: Knowing the Signs and Getting Help
The birth of your child is a very exciting time. From decorating the nursery to shopping for cute outfits, preparing for your little bundle of joy requires quite a bit of planning in advance. Despite this, expectant mothers often don’t take into consideration the changes that a new baby can bring to both their life and body.
While occasional feelings of anxiety, stress and depression immediately following the birth are not uncommon—these feelings are often referred to as the “baby blues” —it can become worrisome when they continue beyond the first few weeks following childbirth. If you continue to feel down, you should seek help, as you may be suffering from postpartum depression (PPD).
Postpartum depression symptoms affect many women and should not be ignored. According to the American Psychological Association, it’s estimated that 9-16% of women will experience postpartum depression. Educating yourself about the risk factors, symptoms and treatments of postpartum depression with the following facts and tips can help you avoid potential health hazards, making motherhood as joyous as it should be.
Risk factors for postpartum depression: Read the rest of this entry »
Positive Mental Health: Heidi Koss: Yup, Its Me: the Face of Bipolar Disorder
Yup, It’s Me: The Face of Bipolar
Today I am humbled to share a guest post from Heidi Koss, LMHCA.
Many of you know Heidi Koss from her professional persona. She was featured on this blog in April, 2013. She runs a busy psychotherapy practice in Washington state and is an activist in the area of Maternal Mental Health. She has volunteered for Postpartum Support International for sixteen years and is the Postpartum SUpport International Washington State Coordinator. Her passion for helping others is rooted in her own personal experiences with perinatal mood disorders.
I invite you to read her moving personal story.
Postpartum Depression Bloggers Share Love & Hope
Because these women and their stories are so extraordinary, for me personally, this is the most meaningful article I ever researched and wrote up.
Guest Post: Therapy from the Inside by Leighann Adams
Guest Post: Today I am pleased to have Leighann Adams of Multitasking Mumma guest posting here today. Leighann is a mom and a self-identified Postpartum Depression blogger. She says the Postpartum Depression blogging community helped her a whole lot when she needed information and support. She found blogging to be therapeutic for her; now she gives back to others via blogging and awareness campaigns.
#PPDCHAT – Thoughts on Healing, Support and Expression
I’m a guest on Lauren Hale’s #PPDCHAT on Twitter on Monday, April 29th at 8:30 PM EST.