Distinguishing Postpartum Depression

Distinguishing Postpartum Depression Postpartum depression is a condition that affects a small percent of new mother’s throughout the world. As O’Hara explains, “what makes depression so poignant for postpartum women is that childbirth is culturally celebrated and there is an expectation that new parents, especially mothers, will be joyful, if not tired, during this time” (2009, p.1259). It can be defined as feelings of sadness that new mothers experience that persist over a few weeks of the delivery of their baby. This condition can produce feelings of being helpless and hopeless, being irritable, and also being overly tired (Benoit et al., 2007, p.719). These symptoms contradict the typical feelings of happiness and excitement that new …show more content…
There are changes going on in a woman’s body that are happening physically, but also emotionally and psychologically. They are experiencing situations for the first time, and are filled with various emotions. There are many factors that can contribute to the manifestation of postpartum depression in women. Werner et al. state that these factors include:
Lower social class, life stressors during pregnancy, complicated pregnancy/birth, difficult relationship with family/partner, lack of support from family/friends, prior history of psychopathology (depression, anxiety), chronic stressors postpartum (this can include problems with child care and difficult infant temperament), unemployment/instability, unplanned pregnancy, ambivalence over becoming a parent, poor relationship with own mother, history of sexual abuse, lack of a confidante, bottle feeding, and depression during pregnancy. (2015, …show more content…
Benoit et al. notes that “women whose experience of labour and delivery did not fit with their birth plans described the disruptions to their hopes and expectations, and lowered their levels of satisfaction” (2007, p.726). Having a plan in mind of how the mother expects her delivery to happen, and then all of a sudden having a something different unfold, can be devastating and allow for the feelings of hurt and withdrawal to develop. Women spend all of their pregnancy envisioning what the moment will be like when their baby is finally born, and they like to be in control of how they would like the birth and the entire process to happen. When things do not go according to the original and thought out plan, this can cause the development of mood changes, which can eventually lead to postpartum