Some research suggests that 50% of women experience depression after childbirth. The neuroendocrine and psychosocial changes brought about by pregnancy and childbirth lead to depression. Professional help is needed to overcome postnatal depression experienced in the first 4 months after childbirth and within the first year.
Ten Signs of Postnatal Depression:
- Inability to smile or see the funny side of things
- Not being able to look forward to the future with enthusiasm
- Blaming yourself unnecessarily when things go wrong
- Feeling anxious or worried without any reason
- Feeling fearful or panicked without a good reason
- Feeling overwhelmed by everything
- Being so unhappy that you have difficulty sleeping
- Feeling sad or down
- Crying frequently due to unhappiness
- Thinking about harming yourself
It is known that during pregnancy, women experience physical, emotional, and social changes, and compared to many other events, this period causes much greater changes. If there is emotional distress lasting more than 2 weeks after childbirth, postnatal depression may be experienced.
Does premature birth increase the risk of postnatal depression?
Postnatal depression can manifest as excessive crying, irritability, guilt, lack of interest in the baby, changes in eating and sleeping habits, difficulty concentrating, hopelessness, and thoughts of harming the baby or oneself.
Postnatal depression is a condition that causes serious distress and significantly reduces the quality of life for both the mother and the baby. Mothers may exhibit behaviours such as feeling incompetent or inadequate in coping with their babies, getting lost in deep thoughts, losing interest in usual activities, feeling worthless, and excessively worrying about the baby’s health. Especially, premature birth creates a risky situation for depression. Special support should be provided to both the premature baby and the mother in case of premature birth.
In the case of the postnatal depression, it is essential for the mother to feel adequate family support. Partners, especially, need to support their spouses intensively and actively participate in the process.
