The Baby Blues and More
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Most of us have heard of the “baby blues.” This is the feelings of sadness after a baby is born. Almost 80% of women experience the baby blues to some degree. It is less well known that there is a whole range of emotional struggles that women experience both during and after pregnancy. Women may not describe what they are feeling as “depression.” Rather, there may be a feeling of anxiety – even panic attacks.
If you or someone you know is seriously depressed and is considering suicide, please call for help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK, has already helped tens of thousands of callers. The Lifeline connects callers right away – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – to local crisis centers. Callers can receive counseling or emergency services, if needed, close to home. Calls are private and confidential. You may have heard of the 1-800-SUICIDE line – that line is no longer in operation. Call 1-800-273 TALK for help today. These feelings cannot be wished away. But they can and should be treated. Maternal depression affects the whole family – including the baby. It impacts infants, toddlers, preschoolers, school age children and adolescents. When mom is depressed, her baby is more likely to have mental health issues and behavior problems in childhood. These babies often do not do well socially and many have problems with language and thinking skills. When a depressed mother goes untreated, every member of the family and all the relationships within the family are affected. The quicker the mother is treated, the better the outcome for the whole family. If you or someone you know is experiencing these feelings either during pregnancy or soon after the baby is born call one of these Local Resources for a referral. Experts describe five categories of perinatal mood disorders – for descriptions click here. Online Resource DirectoriesDirectory of obstetricians and midwives |
