How to combat postpartum depression?

Post birth is a roller coaster of emotions, the joy and happiness to the anxiety and nervousness, every new mother feels a range of emotions. These emotions are common to a lot woman after birth and may last up to two days to a couple of weeks, they are called baby blues.

But some women may experience depression, which is not what a new mother may be expecting, but it is not that uncommon, globally the rate of postpartum depression is 100-150 per 1000 mothers. It can be confused for baby blues a lot of time but it lasts longer and the symptoms are comparatively severe. Some of the symptoms of the same are listed below.

• Depressed mood or severe mood swings
• Excessive crying
• Difficulty bonding with your baby
• Withdrawing from family and friends
• Loss of appetite or eating much more than usual
• Inability to sleep (insomnia) or sleeping too much
• Overwhelming fatigue or loss of energy
• Reduced interest and pleasure in activities you used to enjoy
• Intense irritability and anger
• Fear that you're not a good mother
• Hopelessness
• Feelings of worthlessness, shame, guilt or inadequacy
• Diminished ability to think clearly, concentrate or make decisions
• Restlessness
• Severe anxiety and panic attacks
• Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby
• Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide

If you or any of your loved one who is a new mother experience these, you should consider taking doctor’s advice about it. But here are some easy tips that may help you fight it.

• Take you me-time
  It could be beneficial to set aside any special "me time" once a week. You can take this opportunity to decompress even though you can just get out of the house in between breastfeeding sessions. Take a stroll, nap, watch a movie, or practice yoga and meditation. Rather than grappling with these pressures such asoverwhelmed by work, household responsibilities, or your older children, yourself, seek assistance. Take advantage of your mother-in-free law's babysitting bid.Let your partner or another trusted adult take the baby for an hour or two.
• Go back to exercising slowly
  Physical exercise has been shown in studies to assist with postpartum depression. Exercising during the postpartum phase is an effective way to improve overall well-being and alleviate postpartum depression symptoms. If you had a good pregnancy and an uncomplicated vaginal delivery, you should start gentle exercise only a few days after giving birth.
• Healthy Diet
  PPD cannot be cured by healthy eating alone. Getting into the habit of consuming healthy meals, on the other hand, will make you sleep healthier and provide the body with the nutrients it needs. Plan your menus for the week on the weekend, and also prepare nutritious snacks ahead of time. Consider entire foods that are easy to catch on the go, such as sliced carrots and cubed cheese or apple slices and peanut butter.
• Bond with the Baby
  Early attachment can be hampered by postpartum stress, which makes it impossible to get through each day and limits the capacity to provide about both your infant and yourself. Some parents have an immediate rush of love when they first see their newborn, while others take longer. Do not be concerned or guilty if you have not yet formed a relationship with your child. Both you and your child benefit from learning to bond with your newborn. Close physical touch with your baby activates oxytocin, also known as the "love" or "cuddle hormone." Here are some things you can do for bonding with your baby.
  • If you're breastfeeding or formula-feeding your children, try to do so with their bare skin against yours. Wrap a blanket around your baby's back to keep them warm if the room is cold. You can have skin-to-skin cradle your son.
  • Touch is an essential part of the child's growth and serves to facilitate the attachment process. In mothers with postpartum depression, baby massage has been found to reduce the severity of symptoms.
  • When a mother sees her baby smile, parts of her brain associated with gratification light up, according to research. Hold your baby 8–12 inches away from your face so that they can see you clearly, smile broadly, and say a warm “hello” in a cheerful tone to elicit a smile.
  • Singing to your baby has many perks, regardless of the pitch, chord, or whether you are the best or worst singer in the country. In terms of holding your child's interest, singing is almost as effective as reading a book or playing with toys, and it's even more effective than listening to recorded songs.
• Relation with your partner
  Many couples' primary source of emotional expression and social interaction is their relationship with their mate. Unless partners devote some time, resources, and consideration to maintaining their bond, the expectations and needs of a new baby will get in the way and fracture this relationship.
  Don't make a scapegoat out of partner.
  You may feel stressed and tired as a result of the burden of sleepless nights and caring obligations. Instead of pointing fingers, keep in mind that you're all in this together. You'll become a better family if you solve parental issues together.
  Maintain open lines of contact.
  Following the birth of a child, many aspects shift, including responsibilities and desires. It's important to address these concerns rather than allowing them to fester. Don't believe your mate understands how you're feeling or what you're looking for.
  Make more time for the two of you.
  It's important to set aside time for both the two of you to reconnect. But don't make yourself feel obligated to be romantic or daring. Even 15 or 20 minutes spent together, undistracted and concentrated on each other, will make a significant difference in your feelings of intimacy.