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FRUiTBLENDERZ Podcast
Postpartum Depression
Can postpartum depression affect your ability to bond with your baby, or even recognize health issues in your newborn? On this episode of the Fruit Blenders Podcast, we tackle these critical questions and more as we shed light on postpartum depression (PPD), a condition that affects up to 15% of new mothers. Join us as we navigate the complex symptoms like prolonged sadness, anxiety, and severe mood swings, and underscore the significance of distinguishing between PPD and the common baby blues. We emphasize the urgency of seeking early treatment to mitigate the impact on both mother and child.
Discover how untreated PPD can disrupt vital aspects of motherhood, from breastfeeding challenges to missed medical milestones. This episode is a must-listen for new mothers, families, and healthcare professionals alike, as we offer actionable insights into recognizing PPD and taking the necessary steps for effective treatment. If you suspect that you or someone you know might be struggling with PPD, tune in for crucial information on how to seek help and support for a healthier and happier postpartum journey.
For more information on PPD or how to treat it click on the link below:
https://www.womenshealth.gov/mental-health/mental-health-conditions/postpartum-depression
Good morning, good afternoon, good evening and good night. Wherever you are and however you are watching or listening, welcome to Fruit Blenders Podcast. On today's episode, our main subject and topic is postpartum depression, also called PPD. Postpartum depression is a medical condition that many women get after having a baby. It's strong feelings of sadness, anxiety, worry and tiredness that last for a long time after giving birth. These feelings can make it hard for you to take care of yourself and your baby.
Speaker 1:Ppd can happen after any time of childbirth. It often starts within 1-3 weeks of having a baby. It needs treatment immediately to get better. Ppd is a kind of perinatal depression. This is depression that happens during pregnancy or in the first year after giving birth. Ppd is the most common complication for women who have just had a baby. It affects up to one in seven women, about 15%. For half of women diagnosed with PPD, it's their first time to have depression and they may have had signs and symptoms of depression during pregnancy. If you have PPD in one pregnancy, you're likely to have it again in another pregnancy. Again, ppd is not your fault. It doesn't make you a bad person or a bad mother. If you think you have PPD, tell your health care providers immediately, immediately. Again, you're asking yourself is PPD the same as the baby blues? The answer is no. Ppd lasts longer and is more serious than baby blues. Baby blues are feelings of sadness you may have after having a baby. Baby blues can happen 2 to 35 days after you give birth and can last up to 2 weeks. You may have trouble sleeping, be moody or cranky and cry a lot. If you have sad feelings that last longer than two weeks, tell your provider. Tell your provider she can check to see if you have PPD.
Speaker 1:What are the signs and symptoms of PPD? You may have PPD if you have five or more signs or symptoms that last longer than two weeks. Signs of a condition are things someone else can also see or know about you, like you have a rash or you're coughing. Symptoms are things you feel yourself that others can't see, like having a sore throat or feeling dizzy. Signs and symptoms of PPD include changes in your feelings. Number one feeling depressed most of the day, every day. Number two feeling shame, guilt or like a failure. 3. Feeling panicked or scared a lot of the time. 4. Having severe mood swings. 4. Having severe mood swings Section 2.
Speaker 1:Changes in your everyday life. 1. Having little interest in things you normally like to do. 2. Feeling tired all the time. Number three Eating a lot more or a lot less than is normal for you. Number four gaining or losing weight. Number five having trouble sleeping or sleeping too much. Number six having trouble concentrating or making decisions. Section three changes in how you think about yourself or your baby. Number one having trouble bonding with your baby. 1. Having trouble bonding with your baby. 2. Thinking about hurting yourself or your baby. 3. Thinking about suicide, meaning killing yourself.
Speaker 1:Now, if you think you have signs or symptoms of PPD, call your healthcare provider right away, and I mean right away. There are things you and your provider can do to help you feel better. If you're worried about hurting yourself or your baby, call emergency services at 9-1-1. So you're asking yourself right now can PPD affect my baby, my baby? The answer is yes.
Speaker 1:Ppd can make it harder for you to care for yourself and your baby. This is why it's important to treat PPD as soon as possible. If PPD is untreated and this is if If PPD is untreated and this is if you may skip your postpartum checkups and not follow instructions from your healthcare provider you may find it hard to bond with your baby. Your baby may not breastfeed long. Ppd may make it hard for you and your baby to get used to breastfeeding, because breast milk is the best food for your baby through the first year of life. Your baby may not get medical care he needs because PPD may make it hard for you to take care of yourself and your baby if they're sick or if you're sick. You may not see health problems in your baby that need quick attention and care. It may be hard for you to get your baby regular well baby care, like vaccinations. Vaccinations can help protect your baby from harmful infections such as germs and bacteria or other diseases. Your baby may have learning, behavior and development problems and mental health conditions later in life. This is later in life, so it's important to treat it immediately. Getting treatment for PPD can help you feel better and be able to take care for your baby. If you think you have PPD, tell your provider. Tell them so for those women who are pregnant or who are you know, who've had a baby already, let your care providers know ASAP.
Speaker 1:Now let's dive into the other section what causes PPD? Hmm, we're not exactly sure what causes PPD. It can happen to any woman after having a baby. Possible causes include. Number one Possible causes include 1. Genes. As in DNA, genes are parts of your body's cells that store instructions for the way your body grows and works. Genes are passed on from parents to children.
Speaker 1:Depression is more common in people whose family members have depression. This is called a history of depression. Changing hormone levels after pregnancy hormones are chemicals in your body. Some help control your emotions and mood. During pregnancy, your body has high levels of hormones estrogen, estrogen and progesterone but in the first 24 hours after giving birth, these hormones quickly go back to their normal levels. This rapid drop in hormone levels may lead to PPD. Number 3. Low levels of thyroid hormones. The thyroid is a gland in your neck that helps your body use and store energy from food.
Speaker 1:You're probably asking yourself this am I at risk for PPD? And I'm asking you are you at risk for PPD? Some things make you more likely than others to have PPD. These are called risk factors. Having a risk factor doesn't mean for sure that you'll have depression, but it may increase your chances. Talk to your healthcare provider to see if you're at risk for PPD. Also, remember to get some screen checks for PPD at your postpartum care checkups.
Speaker 1:Risk factors for PPD include number one you had depression during pregnancy or you've had major depression or another mental condition in the past, or you have a family history of depression or mental health conditions. Number two you've been physically or sexually abused or you have problems with your partner, including domestic violence, also called intimate partner violence or IPV. Number three you have stress in your life, like being separated from your partner, the death of a loved one or an illness that affects you or a loved one. Or you're unemployed or have low income, little education or little support from family or friends, or your pregnancy is unplanned or unwanted, or you're younger than 19. Unplanned or unwanted, or you're younger than 19. Number four you have diabetes. Diabetes can be pre-existing diabetes, also called pre-gra-stational. This is diabetes you have before pregnancy, or it can be gestational diabetes. This is a kind of diabetes that some women get during pregnancy.
Speaker 1:Number five you have complications during pregnancy like preterm birth, pre-term birth, being pregnant with multiple birth defects and pregnancy loss. Premature birth is when your baby is born too early, before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Multiples is when you're pregnant with more than one baby. Birth defects are health conditions that can change the shape of your functions of one or more parts of the body. Birth defects can cause problems or overall health, how the body develops or how the body works. Pregnancy loss is when your baby dies before birth. Number six you smoke, drink alcohol or use harmful drugs.
Speaker 1:You have trouble breastfeeding or caring for your baby, or your baby is sick or has health conditions, or you have negative thoughts about being a mom and are having trouble adjusting to being a mom. Let's talk about the negative thoughts and feelings about being a mom can include Having doubts that you can be a good mom, putting pressure on yourself to be a perfect mom, feeling that you're no longer the person you were before you had your baby. Feeling that you're less attractive after having your baby. Feeling that you're less attractive after having your baby. Having no free time for yourself. Feeling tired and moody because you aren't sleeping well or getting enough sleep. Don't be afraid to talk to your care providers. She's there to help you and your baby be healthy. She's there to help you and your baby be healthy. As a woman, she is there to help you and your baby be healthy. Now you're asking yourself can PPD be prevented? The answer is yes.
Speaker 1:The US Preventive Services Task Force says that certain kinds of counseling, also called therapy, can prevent prenatal depression, including PPD. For women at risk of depression. For women at increased risk of depression, counseling is when you talk about your feelings and concerns with a counselor or a therapist. This person helps you understand your feelings, solve problems and cope with things in your everyday life. The task force recommends counseling for women with one or more of these risk factors 1. Current signs and symptoms of depression. 2. A history of depression or other mental health conditions. 3. Being pregnant as a teenager or being a single mother. Number four having stressful life circumstances like low income or a broken family. Number five being a victim of IPV. Number five being a victim of IPV.
Speaker 1:Now you ask yourself how is PPD treated? If you think you may have PPD, see your health care provider right away, and I mean right away. Your prenatal care provider. This is the provider who gave you medical care during pregnancy. Your primary care provider this is your main health care provider who gives you general medical care. A mental health provider this may be a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, counselor or a therapist. Your baby's health care provider. So if you're any of the women who are going through these things, the sooner you see your provider about PPD, the better you can get started on treatment so you can take good care of yourself and your baby. Treatment can include counseling, like CBT and IPT Support groups. These are groups of people who meet together or go online to share their feelings and experience about certain topics. Ask your provider or counselor to help you find a PPD support group Medicine.
Speaker 1:Ppd is often treated with medicines such as estrogen or antidepressants estrogen or antidepressants. For those women who are going through a PPD crisis or are at risk of having PPD depression, the only way you can solve is by getting your care providers involved immediately. Now in our lives we've all seen someone who's going through this situation, or our mothers are going through this situation, or just the women in our lives going through this situation. The best thing, as men, we can do is provide some support and care. That's all we can do. Provide support and care. But woman remember All women you must put the work in as well.
Speaker 1:Okay, don't be afraid to ask for help. Stay healthy and stay fit. Okay, do something active every day. Go for a walk or get back to the gym. Eat healthy foods. These include fruits, vegetables, whole grain breads and lean meats. Try to eat fewer sweets and salty snacks. Get as much rest as you can. Try to sleep when your baby sleeps. Don't drink alcohol. This includes beer, wine, wine coolers and liquor. Liquor is a depressant. Okay, don't take street drugs as well. Ask for help and accept help. Always ask for help and accept help.
Speaker 1:Keep in touch with people you care about and who care about you. Tell your partner, family and friends how you're feeling. Take time for yourself. Ask someone you trust to watch the baby so he can get out of the house. Visit a friend, get outside or do something you enjoy. Plan for some time alone with your partner. Let others help you around the house. Do some house chores okay. Ask your friends and families to watch the baby. Help with the housekeeping or go grocery shopping. Don't be afraid to tell them what you need.
Speaker 1:Okay, reduce your stress. Enjoy yourself. Enjoy yourself, woman, it's all up to you to change this factor. Okay, change it. Reduce the stress. Okay, reduce the stress. Enjoy the things you enjoy Hobbies, sports activities, whatever it is that helps you people into your life or around your life.
Speaker 1:Negative energy is not needed when you're going through these times. It's not needed If someone is negative around you. Keep them away as far as possible, as far as possible, and don't just let your baby or you during pregnancy, hang around anybody else. You want anyone. Take care of yourself, worry about your safety and your health. Worry about that. Don't let negative energy in at all. Don't do it. Walk away from that.
Speaker 1:Now remember, things happen outside of relationships, in the relationships in the households, outside of the households. So it's important to lock arms and stick for one another and support each other in our relationship. Let's not get out of control. Let's not be toxic towards each other. Let's support each other in our relationship. Let's not get out of control. Let's not be toxic towards each other. Let's support each other, especially our women, our queens, the ones who are carrying our babies in the wound. Let's also care for our mothers if they're pregnant. Let's support our sisters if they're pregnant. Let's support our aunties if they are pregnant. Let's support our sisters if they are pregnant. Let's support our aunties if they are pregnant, because these things are real and they happen every year.
Speaker 1:But anyways, if you want more information on PPD, there will be a link below on this episode, and if you want to support the channel, that'd be great. There will be a link down below. Okay, please grab yourself a t-shirt, a hat, whatever you want. All right, and for my new subscribers, thank you for subscribing to the channel. Thank you for listening and tuning into my podcast. I really appreciate it. And for those who've been tuning in, I really appreciate you as well. Remember all love. I love your energy. Thank you for supporting me and my podcast. I appreciate you all. I really do. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you, I'll see you on the next podcast episode.