While pregnancy itself could be a rollercoaster of emotions, the postpartum period does not fall short of emotional chaos.
Postpartum Depression
It is normal for people to go through "baby blues" as part of the recovery after giving birth. However, this tends to go away in one to two weeks post-labor.
Parents that struggle for more than two weeks could be facing postpartum depression (PPD). This condition is actually a kind of clinical depression that starts after a baby is born.
The exact cause of PPD remains unclear. However, similar to other types of depression, it likely results from a combination of various things. The period after giving birth is a time of susceptibility and vulnerability, as various changes could happen at the same time while one experiences grave stress and physiological changes.
For the condition to be diagnosed, symptoms should be widely present nearly every day and should be significant enough to disrupt daily functioning. Symptoms may incluide loss of interest on things that used to be interesting, depressed mood, low self-esteem, insomnia, guilt, concentration difficulties, suicidal thoughts, hallucinations, and marked weight change. Such symptoms may make it difficult to breastfeed or even bond with the baby.
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The Onset and Duration of Postpartum Depression
PPD can start the moment the baby is born. However, it may take time before one realizes the condition as it is expected to feel exhausted and tired during the first few days post-birth.
The postpartum period typically covers the first four to six weeks post-birth. Several PPD cases start during this period. However, PPD can also surface up to a year post-birth.
Since the condition can surface from a few weeks until a whole year after birth, the duration of the condition does not have a typical average.
A review from 2014 shows that symptoms of PPD could get better as time passes. Several cases get batter after three to six months from their onset. However, the same review showed that several participants still battled symptoms of PPD even after six months.
That said, the exact PPD timeline may vary from case to case. Certain risk factors could affect the duration. Some risk factors include having a history of PPD in an earlier pregnancy, difficulties with breastfeeding, a history of depression or any other mental health condition, complicated delivery or pregnancy, lack of social support, and other co-occurring major life changes.
On top of this, the duration and severity of symptoms prior to treatment could affect the actual duration of PPD.
Overall, there is no way to tell who gets to experience PPD and how long the condition will last. However, with proper treatment, especially when administered early, one may find relief especially if any risk factor is present.
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