Essay On Postpartum Depression

The birth of a new baby can trigger a volume of new and powerful emotions from excitement and joy to fear and anxiety. It can also result in something most people do not expect – Depression. Approximately fifteen to thirty percent of new moms experience postpartum depression after welcoming a new baby into their lives. Many times, these new moms are not even aware that they are experiencing postpartum depression, while others are just too ashamed to admit that they are experiencing postpartum depression and do not ask for help. Postpartum depression is often mistaken for the baby blues but the signs and symptoms for postpartum depression are more intense and can last much longer. Symptoms usually develop within the first few weeks after giving …show more content…
It also can happen after miscarriage or a stillbirth. Postpartum depression seems to be brought on by the changes in hormone levels that often occur after pregnancy ends. Any woman can get postpartum depression in the months after childbirth, miscarriage, or stillbirth. The chances for postpartum depression are increased if you have had postpartum depression before, if you have a poor support system around you (partner, family, friends), if your baby is born early and spends time in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit), or you have a sick or colicky baby, and generally if you just tend to have a lot of stress in your life. Most women usually expect the days and weeks following the birth of their child to be a happy time. New moms do not usually plan for the stresses and responsibility that a new baby brings they don’t plan to have a baby up screaming all hours of the nights for no apparent reason or to have troubles feeding, burping, or changing. Taking care of a newborn baby is a huge challenge. Many times, new moms do not get the emotional and practical help that they need to handle all the new full time responsibilities that come with taking care of a new