Prenatal and Postpartum Depression and Anxiety
For the Advice Cards at Baby Shower – a Poem by Kate Baer
“Baby socks don’t matter, but more importantly – neither does advice.
This is not a performance for your friend, your mother, or the woman
in the line who tells you about coats. Experience will teach you two things:
you are the mother, and it’s okay to let them go up the slide.
Nothing in this world can prepare you for this love’s suffering.
For joy and loneliness. For now, remember: birds sing, babies cry,
and no matter the weather, every morning is new.”
– What Kind of Woman by Kate Baer, Pg. 66
Having a baby is a huge life change.
Some might wonder, “What is the difference between Baby Blues and Postpartum Depression?”
If it’s your first baby, there is so much newness. And if this is not your first baby, it can still be an exhausting and stressful phase of life.
Your hormones drop after pregnancy, and you are not sleeping enough. These two significant changes alone make most of us irritable and unsettled, then add caring for your baby around the clock. It is entirely normal to feel thrown off and more emotionally volatile.
Around 80 percent of birth parents feel some Baby Blues for the first few weeks after the birth of their baby. If these feelings of overwhelm, stress, depression, anger, anxiety, etc. continue after that time, perhaps this is a sign of postpartum depression.
Postpartum Depression or Anxiety lasts longer than Baby Blues.
Postpartum depression/anxiety is defined by the length of time, lasting longer than two weeks, and intensity of mood.
You might feel some or all these feelings, including agitation, anxiety, worry, depression, sadness, hopelessness, worthless, often crying, etc.
These feelings may cause you to think that you are a “bad parent” or “awful partner.” You may have a hard time sleeping, eating regularly, or finding it difficult to bond with your baby or understand their needs during these times.
Postpartum Depression and Postpartum Anxiety overlap in their expression.
If you are more prone to anxiety before pregnancy, perhaps your symptoms might feel more like anxiety now, such as excessive worry about your baby and potential for harm, agitation, tension, inability to sleep or relax, and obsessive thoughts.
Symptoms can take on a more depressive feel, such as excessive sadness, lethargy, irritation, agitation, frequent crying, appetite changes, and sleep disturbance.
As you can see, the symptoms can easily overlap and show up similarly. The treatment for both can be similar, requiring therapy and potentially medication.
You do not need to muscle through this alone. The sooner you reach out for help, the sooner you feel better and enjoy your role as a parent more.
Even before giving birth, anxiety and depression are possible.
What is prenatal anxiety or depression? And what are some of the reasons you might have prenatal anxiety and depression? So much is changing within your body and mind when you are pregnant. You begin to think ahead and imagine what changes will occur in your life with a new baby. These hormonal and mood changes can sometimes lead to depression or anxiety during pregnancy.
These feelings are not uncommon. If these symptoms feel too overwhelming or persistent, then it’s time to seek therapy to process what is coming up for you. Therapy provides you an opportunity to talk about these worries, fears, and thoughts and allows you to feel more at ease and tolerate the triggers.
There is nothing wrong with you, and you have not done anything to bring this upon yourself; some people are more prone to anxiety or depression, and others are going through significant life stressors in addition to being pregnant.
Some other reasons you might need prenatal therapy are struggling with your changing body and accepting this new “foreign” body. Or maybe you had a difficult previous birth and are having flashbacks and worry about having to go through it again.
Mothers, therapy can help!
Being pregnant or after giving birth is stressful, and sometimes that stress increases from pressures brought about by both others and you.
All kinds of questions flood your mind –
Am I eating the right foods?
Did I hurt my baby by exercising too much or too little?
Will I be a good parent?
Why do I feel so detached from my child?
My child is here, but I am an emotional wreck?
People give a lot of unsolicited advice, and often, it can feel unwanted and overwhelming, which can increase your anxiety and depression. Let’s work together to help you remove the shadows of isolation, fear, and loneliness during this time in your life.
Pregnancy and postpartum stages of life are not experiences to be endured alone. Therapy can help lift your burden, decrease your symptoms, and allow your strengths to emerge. I help clients move into or return to parenthood with stability and confidence.
I want to help you!
If the feelings described above sound like you, please call me at (510) 600-3734 for a free 15-minute consultation. Please leave a message that includes your name, number, and times available for me to call. I will return your call within 48 hours.