Postpartum Depression essays

Postpartum Depression essays Postpartum depression is a disorder that occurs in women after giving birth to a child. Symptoms of the disorder may include: sluggishness, fatigue, exhaustion, sadness, depression, hopelessness, appetite and sleep disturbances, memory loss, over concern for the baby, uncontrollable crying, lack of interest in the baby, fears of harming the baby or self, and decreased libido. These symptoms can range from mild to severe and often leave the women feeling bewildered. Some women may feel very anxious and show symptoms such as: intense anxiety and/or feat, rapid breathing, fast heart rates, a sense of doom, hot or cold flashes, chest pain, shaking and dizziness.(www.counciling.org) It is important to get a complete medical evaluation, including a thyroid screening to rule out any physical causes if you are having a number of these symptoms because these symptoms can imitate a physical ailment as well. The word postpartum means after birth, and postpartum illnesses are those conditions that can cause changes in the mood of the mother after the birth of a child. There are several factors that can contribute to the horde of new feelings the mother will be encountering after the birth of her new child: reduced sleep, having to care for the baby twenty-four hours a day, fluctuating hormone levels, loss of freedom, an unpredictable schedule, physical pain that comes with giving birth, increased work load, and increased responsibility.(www.chss.iup.edu) These stresses can contribute to postpartum illness which is made up of three different categories: postpartum blues, postpartum depression, and postpartum psychoses. Postpartum blues occur in anywhere from 60 percent to 80 percent of women who give birth. Postpartum blues are usually detected within the first three days after the birth of the child and only last for the first few days to the first few weeks. Women who experience this for of postpartum illness may experience:...