The joy of bringing a baby into the world can be
overshadowed by feelings of inadequacy, exhaustion, frustration and despair. But
there is help and there is nothing wrong about asking for it. Health Briefs TV
reviews how to recognize postpartum depression and what to do for it.
Four million women have a baby every year, and roughly
300,000 suffer from postpartum depression. Fifty-percent of it goes relatively
unnoticed. And many more people think that giving birth is a happy, miraculous,
life-changing, beautiful thing – which it is. But for the new mom, the
realities of delivering the infant, its complications, and the mood changes,
sadness, and irritability, plus lack of
sleep, can all add up to post partum depression. Most of the time, these
symptoms fade in two weeks.
The Health Briefs television show relays that new mothers
might want to talk to their health care providers about what to do. Even following
basic healthy living guidelines can be beneficial: eat healthy meals regularly,
get some exercise, try to get rest when possible, and remember that postpartum
depression is common and is treatable. It takes an incredible amount of patience,
stamina and love to bring a baby into the world and care for it 24/7. Don’t let
postpartum depression get the better of you.
