Risk Factors, Symptoms, and What To Do
Take a Screening Test for Perinatal Mental Health Disorders
The Baby Blues has become as much an accepted part of being a new birthing parent as engorged breasts and sleep deprivation. But what if the Blues don’t go away? For 10-20% of new parents, a perinatal mental health disorder (PMHD) is an unwanted and difficult part of the first year of parenthood. The causes of PMHDs are many, and can include hormonal and lifestyle changes, a lack of social support, sleep deprivation, a high-risk pregnancy, a traumatic birth or difficult recovery, or breastfeeding problems. You are also at a higher risk of PMHDs if you have suffered previously from anxiety or depression, or have recent losses or trauma in your life. Symptoms of PMHDs can include:
- Feeling sad, depressed, numb, or crying a lot
- Restlessness or irritability
- Excessive worrying or inability to relax
- Unusually strong feelings of anger or resentment
- Lack of energy
- Having headaches, chest pains, heart palpitations, numbness, tingling, dizziness or nausea, hyperventilation or other unexplained physical symptoms
- Difficulty sleeping or excessive tiredness
- Loss of appetite or conversely, overeating and weight gain
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering, and making decisions, or confusion
- Excessive concern about the baby or lack of interest in the baby
- Feelings of guilt and worthlessness
- Lack of interest or pleasure in activities
- Obsessive thoughts or compulsive behaviors
- Fear of hurting the baby or yourself
Many new parents experience only a few of these symptoms, but if you feel like something is wrong and you’re not quite yourself, that is an important signal. If these symptoms persist for two weeks or more, you should promptly get support by talking to your doctor or a mental health professional. PMHDs are highly treatable, with therapy, medication, or a combination of the two.
If you need medication and you are told that you must give up breastfeeding, make sure you get the advice of a prescriber who is knowledgeable about medications for breastfeeding parents. There are a few antidepressants which are routinely prescribed during breastfeeding with untraceable amounts detectable in the baby’s bloodstream. Moreover, breastfeeding can be beneficial both for the birthing parent, the long-term health of the baby, and bonding, which is even more challenging when a parent is depressed.
Depression not only affects you: it affects your relationships with your partner and your baby. Untreated, depression can lead to bonding difficulties and delayed development or failure to thrive. Getting the help you need to recover quickly is the best thing you can do for your baby and yourself.
Most importantly, tell your support people (your family, friends, partner) how you are feeling. The burden of trying to seem happy and “keeping it all together” can make the depression worse. You need to lean on the people who care about you, get as much help as you need until you’re back to feeling like yourself, and don’t beat yourself up for having a PMHD. It is NOT YOUR FAULT.