Baby blues or postpartum depression?
Baby blues and postpartum depression are often confused. However, these are two distinct things. Baby blues results from a drop in hormones in the days following birth. “It occurs in the maternity ward, two to four days after birth. It is expressed by mood swings, crying, a fear of not succeeding. Baby blues do not last more than a week and do not affect all women. The symptoms are not very intense and stop quickly. Be careful, however, if the baby blues are very intense and prolonged, it can turn into postpartum depression. explains Lara Cocheteux.
What is postpartum depression?
Postpartum depression begins on D10 and D14 after birth. It can appear gradually or come quite massively all at once. “Where baby blues end quickly, postpartum depression is much longer lasting and more intense. It can be shorter but generally lasts several months. If left untreated, it can last for a year or more.”, explains the psychologist. The latter explains that it is a real depression, with symptoms that vary from one woman to another.
What are the signs of postpartum depression?
“Among the symptoms we can cite sadness, appetite disorders, sleep disorders such as insomnia or, conversely, a state of almost permanent drowsiness and a withdrawal into sleep. These are women who may have difficulty waking up at night to care for their children. Some women may also have dark thoughts.”, explains Lara Cocheteux. “We only talk about baby blues and postpartum depression, but it seems to me that there are other situations which are a little different, which are a real malaise in this period and which we does not necessarily name”, she adds.
Postpartum depression: what are the risk factors and causes?
Although postpartum depression can affect all women, some are more at risk. “Women who have depression, already identified anxiety disorders, phobias, are more likely than others to suffer from postpartum depression. Isolation or a feeling of isolation, difficulty sleeping from maternity, very significant marital difficulties, a very difficult birth, grief experienced during pregnancy, in short everything that will make the woman more vulnerable is a risk factor”, explains the psychologist.
“Regarding the exact causes of postpartum depression, they are both contextual and physiological. We cannot completely put aside the hormonal upheaval, but it alone does not explain the occurrence of depression after the birth of a child. There is a balance that cannot be separated between what is physiological and what is psychological. The risk factors we have mentioned do not explain everything either. There are not always warning signs, so it is very difficult for these women to consult.”, explains Lara Cocheteux.
When postpartum depression alters the bond with the child
The mother-child bond is not necessarily altered by postpartum depression. “However, this is always something to watch out for. We have to worry about establishing the relationship with the child, is he doing well or not? Sometimes women come to consult with the baby, we see how things are going, how the child reacts to the situation. You have to be vigilant but each case is particular”, explains the psychologist. “Often the father is present, and no difficulties are observed for the child. I really encourage grandparents, all family members, friends, to come and surround the mother and child. We cannot at all rule out the risks for the child but it should not be an additional stress for mothers who already feel extremely guilty. A certain number are doing very badly without this stopping them from taking very good care of their child. If we notice that something is wrong with the child, that he needs care, we can also put things in place for him,” she adds.
Postpartum depression: when to consult?
“We should be able to consult as soon as possible!”, insists Lara Cocheteux. Many women, even if they feel that something is wrong, have difficulty seeking help spontaneously. “There is a lot of guilt. This moment is supposed to be happy, they feel guilty, telling themselves that they have to hold on, that everyone can do it. So why not them?”, explains the psychologist. Often these women hide their discomfort from those around them. It is therefore imperative to raise awareness among professionals so that detection occurs earlier.
Psychotherapy, medications: what treatments for postpartum depression?
As a first step, the psychologist recommends that young mothers consult the person they trust the most. The midwife who comes to the house to weigh the baby, the general practitioner, the pediatrician, all can refer you to a psychologist in town or at the maternity ward. “Sometimes it’s those around you who are alerted and push you to consultr”, adds Lara Cocheteux. “There are scales to objectify where a woman really is. Sometimes a consultation is enough to resolve a certain number of things. Some only come once, knowing they can come back if they need to. Others will have a slightly longer follow-up”, she explains.
Sometimes, the situation requires referring the young mother to a psychiatrist. “You have to react quite quickly if the woman has very deep, very intense dark thoughts, she no longer sleeps, she cries a lot. There is not necessarily taking action but we must react. These are women who sometimes have massive anxiety when they are alone with the child, they feel incapable of taking care of them..”, describes the psychologist. Medication treatment can then be implemented. “There are different treatments depending on the profile. They are very effective and help calm things down quickly. These are not lifelong treatments, they generally last between six months and two years. However, medications are not sufficient in themselves. You also need to do therapy at the same time. These are two complementary approaches,” concludes Lara Cocheteux.
Thanks to Lara Cocheteux, clinical psychologist specializing in perinatal care
Read also :
⋙ Childhood depression: causes, symptoms to recognize and treatments
⋙ Postpartum depression: “When my daughter was born, I told myself I would never be happy again”
⋙ Postpartum depression and baby blues: how to tell them apart?