“Postpartum Red Flags: When to Seek Professional Help” is a collaborative post.

You’re finally home from the hospital. The baby is healthy and growing with iron lungs that can scream a roof off a house. 

This is supposed to be a moment you cherish forever.

“In a blink of an eye, they’ll be grown,” they say. “Treasure the newborn stage,” they say. But you’re not listening to all the unsolicited advice. 

Exhaustion creeps through your bones and the only thing that consumes your thoughts is a few hours of quiet. The incessant crying, round-the-clock feeds and nappy changes have you wanting to pull your hair out in clumps and shout into the void.

The Dream Versus Reality

Is it normal to feel this way? Yes. What isn’t normal is when your thoughts of harming yourself and your baby become a constant.

Postpartum depression (PPD) affects up to 15% of people, according to Cleveland Clinic. The sad part is that many new mums are ashamed of asking for help or even admitting that they’re struggling mentally.

Society dictates that becoming a parent is meant to be a happy, fulfilling role. The truth is that some mothers experience negative emotions, preventing them from fully bonding with their newborns.

Types of Postpartum Conditions

Baby Blues

The baby blues is common among new parents and affects up to 85% of people, says Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Hormonal changes shortly after giving birth can play havoc with your emotional state. The anxiety, crying and restlessness usually go away after a few weeks once hormone levels return to normal.

Johns Hopkins Center for Women’s Reproductive Mental Health’s Dr Liisa Hantsoo says you’ll feel happy for one minute and overwhelmed the next. 

The mild and temporary condition has risk markers. These are:

  • History of mental illness
  • Family history
  • Genetics

Postpartum blues symptoms include anxiety, difficulty sleeping, anger, irritability and sadness.

Postpartum Depression

The mood disorder affects pregnant and postpartum mums. Like the baby blues, it causes you to feel sad and anxious but with more intensity, making it difficult to do daily tasks.

Also known as perinatal depression, the condition is not to be taken lightly. When a mother thinks about harming herself, or her baby and loses interest in doing simple things, that is a huge red flag, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIH).

Seeking residential treatment for mental health issues is important for the mother as the disorder can have disastrous consequences for both her and the baby.

Postpartum depression can be treated with therapy, medication or a combination of the two. 

Some inpatient facilities offer intensive therapies to better equip people with the coping skills needed for the real world.

Purpose Healing Center suggests finding an outpatient facility that treats diverse mental health conditions and substance abuse. The residential model may not be suitable for new mums, but help is still available through OPD consulting. 

Postpartum Psychosis

A serious mental illness that requires immediate psychiatric treatment, postpartum psychosis exhibits symptoms of mania, depression, confusion, hallucinations, and delusions. 

The maternal mortality rate in Arizona is particularly concerning with the state ranking 11th in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Cronkite News reports that maternal mental health is the top contributor to maternal deaths in Arizona. The problem persists not only in rural areas.

A Scottsdale mom was sentenced to more than a decade behind bars after she was found guilty of the fentanyl overdose death of her toddler, 13 months old. The woman admitted to being the only caregiver and got hooked on opiates. Hers is only one of thousands of cases where young mothers are in desperate need of mental health support.

To ensure proper care, this woman could have sought professional help at an accredited Scottsdale mental health treatment facility. Timely help may have prevented this tragic incident.

It can take 12 months or more to recover from postpartum psychosis. However, the risk of experiencing another episode is possible. Months after recovering, you may still feel depressed or anxious.

The Healing Process

The first step in healing is admitting that you are not OK and seeking professional help.

Call your physician or midwife if the baby blues persist for longer than two weeks or if you have difficulty getting things done.

In addition to talking to a healthcare professional, ensure you get enough rest, ask your partner, family and friends for assistance and make time for yourself.

Joining a support group can benefit you and other parents. Bonding and sharing your experiences builds a supportive environment and reminds you that you are not alone. Countless others are going through the same if that helps lessen your anxiety.

Your doctor might recommend a treatment plan with a focus on holistic care, encompassing residential mental health treatment or mental health services with medication to manage the symptoms. Be aware that antidepressants can take several weeks to start working.

Being a new mum is a full-time job and no one expects you to perform miracles. Be gentle on yourself and give yourself the space to transition into parenthood. 

Never be ashamed to ask for help. It takes a village to raise a child and a happy, healthy mum. In the meantime, relax and take a deep breath. You’re doing great, Sweetie.

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