Postpartum Depression
Dunamas Communications is host to Pauline Dillard, a woman interested in postpartum depression. While never diagnosed by a treating professional, I was severely depressed after the birth of my son (and for a long time too). The results of this particular study is important because I was invited to participate. However, I was so depressed I couldn't get around to doing the questionnaire. That and the risk factors, even if preliminary, describe me to a tee.
The top 4 common risk factors for postpartum depression [of the Dillard study]were:
* A family history of mental disorder of any kind (Bi-Polar Dad, Depressed Mom)
* A history of trauma (of one sort or another)
* Dissatisfaction with birth experience (but not the outcome)
* A perfectionistic approach to life(I admit that I'm a Type A personality)
Paula asks about retrospect. What would have been helpful? The short answer is that I don't know for sure but I think that other people talking to me about their presumptions - despite the discomfort - would have helped (you know, no secrecy). My other thoughts on the subject have been being rattled around in my brain for quite a while now. The long answer continues to be less than cohesive and as a result, unpublished. Someday.
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4 comments:
I'm going to write the risk factors down. I looked earlier and can't remember. (Could it me that wine I gulped down at dinner?) Wonelle. In retrospect, can you think of anything that might have been helpful? I'm still learning.
I wonder what presumptions you might mean. I will be interested in what is rattling around in your noodle whenever you are ready. Do you mean that if you heard that others were suffering and having a hard time, it might have made it eaier to recognise that you were having a similarly hard time? Were you meeting all women who were glowing like Madonna about what a beautiful thing motherhood is?
I know your time is limited. These questions can wait till you have time. xo- P
Most of the women I met were so freaking happy they could not contain themselves. Don't get me wrong, they struggled with colic, nursing, sleeplessness, and the like. But they didn't express the same degree of challenge that I experienced and expressed. It was overwhelming for me, it was such an incredible life change that I wasn't prepared for.
I think that some people could see, or at least had an idea that I was struggling and depressed. But even Wood as close as he was knew that my depression was severe and didn't say anything. Okay, you're right, he was having his depression too. But no one else said anything - if they thougth there was a problem. I think you saying to me early on (about my wanting nothing more than to go to bed and cuddle with my cat): if that feeling continues get help.
My memory says that no one talked about it. Did I hide things that well? Did people catch me on the good days? Was it less hard than I remember?
Maybe we are socially programmed to let people deal with such things privately. After all, it's private. For example, I think that my sister is depressed - I don't think it's entirely baby related - but I feel that I can't say anything to her. Would she listen or do anything about it?
The only problem with that approach is that I wonder if such issues should be private.
I guess my only other thought has to do with the connection between my painful breastfeeding and depression. I think the two were related - signs of one another that were not addressed as such. Breastfeeding was exclusively a physical issue but it very well may have been a manifestation of the depression. And the opposite may be true too. Idunno.
I just looked at a study that showed that women who have pain with breastfeeding are at 90% higher risk for ppd. That is a freaking high statistic, so I better check it. Breastfeeding when it is pain free assists mood disorders and can combat ppd.
I learned that depression is an inflamitory disease. That was amazing.
I don't know where I sit with the privacy issue. Why are we so fascinated with pregnancy and so hands on, but when the baby is born, abandon the mother, or give her "privacy." It may be one of lifes biggest transitions and we don't get much help. It also feels like it would be wimpy to ask for help. After all we got ourselves into this "mess." Right?
It is tricky to see for me sometimes because any woman who is having painful breastfeeding has a physical reason to cry and feel at a loss against this hungry crying baby who needs to inflict more pain every couple of hours or so. I'm going to begin looking more carefully though.
In my case with baby #1, I was grateful for a certain nosy woman who kept calling me. It actually took my a while to admit how much pain I was in. I was so intent on being ubermom. After Robbie had her baby we talked each morning and that was a great help.The minutea of a new baby is enormous. No one who isn't in that world wants to hear it.
'My memory says that no one talked about it. Did I hide things that well? Did people catch me on the good days? Was it less hard than I remember?'
Wonelle, it was as hard as you recall. I would trust your memory.
Thank goodness things change.
And thank you for sharing your story and thoughts.
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