Deciphering the minefield of post-childbirth emotions (about baby blues)

I found important article in The Jakarta Post News paper, About baby Blues. Here this article :

It has been nine months of morning sickness, backaches, swollen feet and ankles, heartburn and exhaustion. After that comes labor, all 20 hours of it, followed by round the-clock feeding and cleaning of the baby. Yes that is the miracle of birth , as wonderful as it is to be blessed with a baby, the process of pregnancy and childbirth is incredibly stressful due to the hormonal upheaval occurring in the body.

These hormone changes affect a woman’s mental and emotional state as well. That is why she can experience some emotional roller –coasters, ranging from post partum blues (sometimes called “baby blues” to very serious psychosic

The baby blues can be overcome with prover rest, a healthy and balanced diet, ad most importantly, support from family and friends.

In this article, I will elaborate three main types of emotional reactions to childbirth : post partuem blues, post natal depression and puerperal psychosic

1. Baby blues

It’s normal to feel frustrated, experience mood swings and have restless sleep patterns in the first few months after childbirth. In some 80 percent of women , this is known as postpartum, or baby blues.

Baby blues can start between the seond and 11th day after delivery and is caused by hormone changes in the body. It may last only a day, or up to week.

You may find yourself bursting intop tears unexpectedly, for no apparent reason. You will be subject to mood swings, become extra sensitive, have difficulty concentrating and feel discouraged a lot of the time. These symptoms come and go, so you may feel perfectly normal at times and very down at other times.

It is not uncommon to also feel frustrated, irritable, forgetful, lonely and at the same time , guilty for having such reactions. These symptoms are caused by hormones, but also by the exhaustion that every new mom faces.

Baby blues can be overcome with prover rest. A healthy and balanced diet and most importantly , support from family and friends. Your husband plays a crucial role in making you feel loved and appreciated, and in making sure that other people don’t intrerfere in your family affairs. Do not be ashamed to ask for help when you need it, whether it is caring for the baby, household chores or if you just need someone to talk to.

Baby blues do not last beyond the first four months after the baby is born. If they do, it might be part of a more serious psychiatric condition.

2. Postnatal Depression
Not too long ago, US. Actress Brooke Shields admitted that she had suffered from post natal depression. She described an experience that affects one in 10 new mothers, but due to social taboos, few women dare to admit to it.
Postnatal depression is a psychiatric illness that may set in after a new mother’s six-week checkup. It is unlike baby blues because the symptoms are continually presnt and are more serious. A woman might experience all the feeling as with baby blues, but on top of that , she may also have panic attacks, obsessive thoughts and fantasties , as well as detachment from her baby.

When interviewed by the BBC, Brooke Shield admitted that she had no maternal feelings toward her daughter. “I had no desire to pick her up, no desire to gaze at her—all I could do was cry” she even fantasized about killing herself and her baby.
This is why postnatal depression is such a taboo in our modern society. Nobody can understand or sympathize with a new mother who does not show “normal” emotions like joy and affection for her baby.
Nonetheless, mothers with postnatal depression should nor be ignored. Left untreated, it can go on for years or there could be immediate dangers, such as suicidal tendencies.
Those around a woman affected by postnatal depression should support her in seeking the right medical treatment. Which includes medication, psychological therapy and counseling.

3. Puerperal psychosis
The most serious postpartum emotional condition is puerperal (or post partum /postnatal0 psychosis. Fortunately this serious psychiatric illness is very rare, occurring in only pne in 1000 women.
Puerperal psychosis is a severe mental disorder that occurs about two weeks after childbirth, where contact with reality is lost or highly distorted. The most common symptoms are delusions (false beliefs) and hallucinations (hearing voices or seeing things aren’t there).
It can also cause emotional upheaval, confusion, meory loss, obsessive behavior, as well as rigidity or extreme flexibility of the limbs.
Women in this situation will not understand why they are suffering these symptom. Their partners and family members need to recognize that this is a very serious condition and immediate hospitalization is required.
With the right treatment and support , a woman with puerperal psychosis can recover completely. The most important thing is to recognize that all of these three conditions ca affect any woman who has just had a baby. She needs all the support and understanding she can get, from everyone around her.
(the Jakarta Post, March,12,09-Nor Ashikin Mokhtar/ANN/the Star)

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