Having a baby can be one of the biggest and happiest life events. Living with a new baby can be exciting and rewarding, but it can also be stressful at times. Many physical and emotional changes happen during pregnancy and after having a baby. These changes can make pregnant women and new parents sad, anxious, overwhelmed, or confused. These feelings are very common, and for many parents, they quickly go away. Seek help from a health care provider if these feelings last for several weeks, or if they get worse.
The time period during pregnancy and immediately after birth is called “perinatal” and perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMAD) can occur during pregnancy (during the prenatal period), and also after giving birth (during the postpartum period). With treatment, PMAD can be temporary. While many women experience mild mood changes during or after the baby’s birth, 15% – 20% of women experience more significant symptoms of depression or anxiety. You can prevent a worsening of these symptoms and can fully recover with informed care. There is no reason to continue to suffer.
Parents of every culture, age, income level, and race can develop perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. Symptoms can appear any time during pregnancy and the first 12 months after childbirth. There are effective and well-researched treatment options to help in recovery. Although the term “postpartum depression” is most often used, there are actually several forms of illness that parents may experience, including:
Depression During Pregnancy & Postpartum
Someone with PPD might experience feelings of anger, sadness, irritability, guilt, lack of interest in the baby, changes in eating and sleeping habits, trouble concentrating, thoughts of hopelessness, and sometimes even thoughts of harming the baby or themselves.
Anxiety During Pregnancy & Postpartum
Someone with PPA may experience extreme worries and fears, often over the health and safety of the baby. Some people have panic attacks and might feel shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, a feeling of losing control, and numbness and tingling.
Pregnancy or Postpartum OCD
Someone with PPOCD can have repetitive, upsetting and unwanted thoughts or mental images (obsessions), and sometimes they need to do certain things over and over (compulsions) to reduce the anxiety caused by those thoughts. These individuals find these thoughts very scary and unusual, and are very unlikely to ever act on them.
Postpartum Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
PPTSD is often caused by a traumatic or frightening childbirth or past trauma, and symptoms may include flashbacks of the trauma with feelings of anxiety and the need to avoid things related to that event.
Bipolar Mood Disorders
Many people are diagnosed for the first time with bipolar depression or mania during pregnancy or postpartum. Bipolar mood disorder can appear as a severe depression. Individuals may need informed evaluation and follow-up on past and current mood changes and cycles to assess whether there is a bipolar dynamic.
Postpartum Psychosis
PPP sufferers sometimes see and hear voices or images that others can’t, called hallucinations. They may believe things that aren’t true and distrust those around them. They may also have periods of confusion and memory loss, and seem manic. This severe condition is dangerous, so it is important to seek help immediately.
On Sunday, June 26, 2022, Stony Brook Medicine, Postpartum Support International and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County (CCE) will collaborate and hold a Climbing Out of the Darkness event at the Suffolk County Farm from 4 to 6 pm. This event will raise funds and awareness for the mental health of new families, and bring together survivors, providers, and other members of this community. Hayrides, petting zoo, and arts and craft activities will be available at the Suffolk County Farm for families to enjoy. The event is being organized by Dr. Courtney O’Brien from Stony Brook Medicine and Tanairy Fernandez from Postpartum Support International (PSI). CCE’s Family Health and Wellness educators will present a half hour program on Positive Discipline and provide educational resources for parents.
By raising awareness of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, the Climbing Out of the Darkness event brings our community together to shine a light on a darkness we often don’t speak about. Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are the most common complication of childbearing.
For more information on Climbing Out of the Darkness, visit the website:
https://www.postpartum.net/learn-more/
Remember, you are not alone, and you are not to blame. Help is available. You will get better. PSI has a HelpLine available at: 1.800.944.4773
Call or text:
Text in English: 800-944-4773 | Text en Español: 971-203-7773
All Blogs are written by Professionals in the fields of Nutrition, Human Development and Diabetes.