🙌 SPECIAL _ National Safe Motherhood Day
Hindustan Times, Apr 11, 2018
New moms,
it is natural to feel depressed. But you should seek therapy to adjust to
change.
New moms,
it is natural to feel depressed. But you should seek therapy to adjust to
change.
National
Safe Motherhood Day 2018: Postnatal mental health, especially postpartum
depression following childbirth, remains largely ignored and under-recognised
in India, say doctors on National Safe Motherhood Day.
 |
| National Safe Motherhood Day 2018: Though postpartum depression is mostly caused by a sudden change in hormone levels post-pregnancy, doctors say cultural, family, financial and other factors contribute to the condition. (Getty Images/iStockphoto) |
First-time
mother Annu Mathew went through a gamut of emotions not usually linked with
childbirth. She experienced bouts of anger, irritation, self-doubt and guilt
about not being the “perfect” mum to her infant daughter.
mother Annu Mathew went through a gamut of emotions not usually linked with
childbirth. She experienced bouts of anger, irritation, self-doubt and guilt
about not being the “perfect” mum to her infant daughter.
Mathew is
not the only mother to have felt helpless and depressed for months after a
child’s birth. Contrary to the rosy picture of a mother looking fondly at the
child in her arms, experts stress that many women actually go through severe
anger, insomnia, self-loathing and even suicidal thoughts after giving birth.
not the only mother to have felt helpless and depressed for months after a
child’s birth. Contrary to the rosy picture of a mother looking fondly at the
child in her arms, experts stress that many women actually go through severe
anger, insomnia, self-loathing and even suicidal thoughts after giving birth.
“I felt
abject helplessness. You are already dealing with a sudden drop in hormones.
Top that with little or no sleep, the new responsibility of having to care for
a child, post-delivery bleeding, the pain of the stitches… And then there’s
an immense feeling of guilt because you know that you are not being the perfect
mother,” Mathew, who works with a media organisation, says.
abject helplessness. You are already dealing with a sudden drop in hormones.
Top that with little or no sleep, the new responsibility of having to care for
a child, post-delivery bleeding, the pain of the stitches… And then there’s
an immense feeling of guilt because you know that you are not being the perfect
mother,” Mathew, who works with a media organisation, says.
As India
observes National Safe Motherhood Day on April 11, doctors say the issue of
postnatal mental health, especially postpartum depression following childbirth,
remains largely ignored and under-recognised in our country.
observes National Safe Motherhood Day on April 11, doctors say the issue of
postnatal mental health, especially postpartum depression following childbirth,
remains largely ignored and under-recognised in our country.
Women
suffering from postpartum depression symptoms such as a feeling of despair,
crying for no reason, being irritable, oversleeping or not sleeping enough,
eating too little or too much, and staying aloof from friends and family. In
acute cases it can lead to self harm, or even injuries to the child.
Gynaecologist
Puneet Bedi says despite the issue being universal and experienced by “100 per
cent of the mothers”, there is a complete lack of interest towards the mental
health of a new mother after she gives birth to a child.
Puneet Bedi says despite the issue being universal and experienced by “100 per
cent of the mothers”, there is a complete lack of interest towards the mental
health of a new mother after she gives birth to a child.
“Doctors
in India don’t talk about it at all; they don’t even know about it. The whole
postpartum health issue is neglected in India. Pregnancy management is to
forewarn, recognise early symptoms and see if treatment is required,” he says.
in India don’t talk about it at all; they don’t even know about it. The whole
postpartum health issue is neglected in India. Pregnancy management is to
forewarn, recognise early symptoms and see if treatment is required,” he says.
If the
symptoms of postpartum depression are not recognised at an early stage, it
could leave “deep scars, and also long-term relationship issues”, he says.
symptoms of postpartum depression are not recognised at an early stage, it
could leave “deep scars, and also long-term relationship issues”, he says.
On
National Safe Motherhood Day 2018, it’s important to note that women suffering
from postpartum depression usually show the same symptoms associated with other
kinds of stress and depression such as a feeling of despair, crying for no
apparent reason, being irritable, restless, oversleeping or not sleeping
enough, eating too little or too much, and staying aloof from friends and family.
In acute cases it can lead to self harm, or even injuries to the child.
National Safe Motherhood Day 2018, it’s important to note that women suffering
from postpartum depression usually show the same symptoms associated with other
kinds of stress and depression such as a feeling of despair, crying for no
apparent reason, being irritable, restless, oversleeping or not sleeping
enough, eating too little or too much, and staying aloof from friends and family.
In acute cases it can lead to self harm, or even injuries to the child.
Psychiatrist
Nimesh Desai said despite the easily identifiable symptoms, PPD is often not
diagnosed.
Nimesh Desai said despite the easily identifiable symptoms, PPD is often not
diagnosed.
“We will
never know the actual extent of postpartum depression because there have never
been any proper studies. The physician, obstetrician, gynaecologist and nurses
also miss the symptoms. And since most mothers get better with time perhaps
they will never be noticed. The number is far greater than what comes to
notice,” Desai, director of the Institute of Human Behavior and Allied
Sciences, says.
never know the actual extent of postpartum depression because there have never
been any proper studies. The physician, obstetrician, gynaecologist and nurses
also miss the symptoms. And since most mothers get better with time perhaps
they will never be noticed. The number is far greater than what comes to
notice,” Desai, director of the Institute of Human Behavior and Allied
Sciences, says.
While
Mathew was supported by her husband and family, not everybody is as fortunate.
Mathew was supported by her husband and family, not everybody is as fortunate.
 |
|
Another
factor that compounds the condition of self-doubt and depression during postpartum depression is that a woman is expected to be ‘elated’ about being a mother. (Getty Images) |
Sunanda
Chakravarty, who also suffered from PPD when her daughter was born, says her
family did not understand her situation. “It’s very difficult for them (family)
to understand what I was going through… I could realise that I was
over-reacting and tried to control as much as I could… Maybe if they had
supported me that time I would have been stronger and could have come out of it
faster,” she adds.
Though
PPD is mostly caused by a sudden change in hormone levels post-pregnancy, Desai
and Bedi say cultural, family, financial and other factors contribute to the
condition. “The cause is basically hormonal. But cultural problems like
overfeeding after childbirth and tying down the woman to the house add to the
depression,” Bedi says.
PPD is mostly caused by a sudden change in hormone levels post-pregnancy, Desai
and Bedi say cultural, family, financial and other factors contribute to the
condition. “The cause is basically hormonal. But cultural problems like
overfeeding after childbirth and tying down the woman to the house add to the
depression,” Bedi says.
Another
factor that compounds the condition of self-doubt and depression is that a
woman is expected to be ‘elated’ about being a mother. “Not liking your child
is a normal thing. It takes some time for the mother to start liking her child.
The mother also carries a lot of guilt for that. Every woman is expected to be
elated about becoming a mother. But they do feel very sad, especially for
someone who has become a mother for the first time,” says Bedi.
factor that compounds the condition of self-doubt and depression is that a
woman is expected to be ‘elated’ about being a mother. “Not liking your child
is a normal thing. It takes some time for the mother to start liking her child.
The mother also carries a lot of guilt for that. Every woman is expected to be
elated about becoming a mother. But they do feel very sad, especially for
someone who has become a mother for the first time,” says Bedi.
Support
from the family and intervention of counsellors and therapists, if required,
can help a new mother get accustomed to the changes and her new role in life,
the experts suggest.
from the family and intervention of counsellors and therapists, if required,
can help a new mother get accustomed to the changes and her new role in life,
the experts suggest.
