What is Perinatal Depression?
Perinatal Depression is the term when a woman suffers from depression that can occur either during their pregnancy or after giving birth. The types of symptoms that they suffer from can range from quite mild to severe. The symptoms that they have can be seriously damaging to the person’s mental and physical health plus it can risk the baby aswell. There is a cloud at the silver lining as Perinatal Depression can be treated meaning you can get back to living a fulfilled life.
Perinatal Depression is a ‘mood disorder’ that affects women during their pregnancy or after they’ve given birth and in some cases both. The term is coined from the word Perinatal which is the time that is referred to before and after the birth of a child. There are two terms that you may have heard of: prenatal depression which is depression that begins at the start of a pregnancy and postpartum depression which is after the birth of a child.
Mothers who suffer from Perinatal Depression will experience a range of emotions and feelings which can have a negative impact on their everyday life such as extreme sadness, anxiety and tiredness this can affect even the smallest everyday tasks that they need to complete.
The most common signs & symptoms of Perinatal Depression
As every individual is unique, women may suffer from different types of symptoms compared to someone else with Perinatal Depression or most likely suffer from a combination of the listed signs & symptoms.
- Deep sadness
- Fatigue
- Complete loss of interest
- Difficulty sleeping
- Loss of memory
- Feeling of worthlessness
- Increased appetite
- Aches & pains
- Unable to form connection with their newborn
A diagnosis with a mental health professional will be able to listen to your current symptoms and when they started in order to see if you are currently suffering from perinatal depression. If your mental health professionals spot that you may be suffering from perinatal depression then we will help guide you in the right direction to get the correct treatment for you.
Talking about Perinatal Depression
Many mothers who are experiencing mental health changes during the perinatal period may start to feel overwhelmed with pressure and often ashamed that they are having these feelings as they need to be a provider for their baby.
It can be helpful to know that you don’t have to walk the road alone and that there is always help around the corner and these perinatal thoughts are common. We know that there can be a stigma which makes it often hard to acknowledge that you need that extra support and it can be difficult to voice your current feelings with people.
Seeking help for your mental health and physical well-being is the big first step that you need to take in order to get the well-needed treatment in order for recovery and for you to start feeling better in your own body as a mother. It is not a weakness reaching out but a strength, if you are suffering from perinatal depression then let us help today.
How is it different to the 'baby blues?'
You may have heard the term ‘baby blues’ which is a phrase that is often used to describe those suffering from a few different types of mild mood changes such as a feeling of worry, unhappiness and exhaustion. This is something that usually will happen in the first two weeks of a mother giving birth. Newly born babies do require around-the-clock care so it is only natural for mothers during this period to feel tired or overwhelmed with responsibility sometimes but these short-lived feelings will pass and you will start to feel confident and enjoy every second of motherhood.
Unfortunately for people, their moods of anxiety and depression can become severe lasting a lot longer than two weeks. If a woman is having severe depression after two weeks then they could be suffering from post-partum depression – it is crucial that you seek out treatment as soon as possible as she will generally not feel better until you get treatment for her depression.
Perinatal treatment options
Treatment for perinatal depression is super important for the health of both the mother and the baby as perinatal depression has a high risk of affecting both the mother’s and the baby’s wellbeing. With the correct treatment through diagnosis, most women feel as if they can approach life with a better overall look and manage their symptoms a whole lot greater.
There is a wide range of treatments available for women who are suffering from perinatal depression which include different types of therapy, medication or a mix of both depending on the individual.
For people who are worried about how pregnancy can impact their current mental health and want more information on how to get to the best place possible before they become pregnant with their partner. We can help those with pre-conception advice that will include a review of current and previous treatments and an in-depth discussion of the possible impact on your unborn child.