Postpartum Depression- finally getting the limelight(?)

Baby in Mother's Arms

Mother with her Child

Newborn's Care

"Congratulations on your bundle of Joy! Very happy I presume?" Is the standard question they ask. At most, there is a cursory question regarding the physical health. But mental health? So many questions run through a new mother's mind, so many doubts and insecurities. To them, is the baby really a bundle of joy?

In India, mental health care is sadly lacking. People still feel that it is something to be hushed up. As a result, depression, which is very much a real issue, is taken very, very lightly and the sufferers suffer in silence. So what exactly is postpartum depression?

During pregnancy, the mother's body and brain are filled with the estrogen and progesterone hormones. These hormones are what keep the baby safe and supply it with nutrients through the placenta.

After the baby is born, there is a drastic dip in these levels, creating a sort of hormonal levels. Some women bridge this void quite easily, whereas, for some, it takes a while. It adds to the already present insecurities of the mother, sliding them into the dark pit of depression. Scientists are looking into brain imaging studies and brain biochemistry with various model animals and suspect the amygdala, nucleus accumbens and the hippocampus. Even these parts of the brain do not provide the full picture.

Postpartum depression(PPD) appears a few days after the baby is born. The symptoms most apparent are trouble bonding with the baby, inability to make decisions and mood swings.

" The problems with the stigma around mental health is the stories we tell ourselves as a society."

- Matthew Quick.

Dealing with PPD is actually simple. The new mother must first be secure in her environment, take a little me-time, eat healthy food, exercise when possible, consume fish oils and most importantly, reach out to someone in case of PPD. Remember, you are not alone, and all of this is quite natural. It is all hormones.