Deborah Blum | Blum Counseling Group
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The birth of a child is a wondrous and glorious thing. Until you bring that baby home and are responsible for keeping it alive on zero sleep for weeks and weeks. Add to this already trying scenario is the hormonal cocktail the new mother is living with and you understand why some new mothers don’t […]
The birth of a child is a wondrous and glorious thing. Until you bring that baby home and are responsible for keeping it alive on zero sleep for weeks and weeks. Add to this already trying scenario is the hormonal cocktail the new mother is living with and you understand why some new mothers don’t feel so blissful.
While it’s normal for every new mother to feel some stress and irritability in the weeks after giving birth, it is estimated that 9 to16 percent of moms, through no fault of their own, will experience postpartum depression (PPD).
What makes some women more susceptible to PPD than others? It is believed that a combination of things including hormones, genetics, predisposition, support (or lack of), and stress all create a perfect storm to experience PPD.
As if experiencing PPD isn’t hard enough, there are actually a few myths surrounding the condition that can make a new mother feel even worse. Let’s dispel those myths right now:
PPD can actually start while a woman is still pregnant. In fact, it is believed that in 50% of moms experiencing PPD, the symptoms began during pregnancy.
In those instances where PPD does begin after a new mother has given birth, it is not uncommon for symptoms to begin well beyond the first four weeks. This can often take the new mother by surprise.
The truth is, there is an entire collection of postpartum illnesses besides PPD that a woman may experience such as postpartum anxiety, postpartum OCD, and rarely, but sometimes experienced postpartum psychosis. These are all challenging disorders new moms experience.
Now let’s take a look at some of the common symptoms of PPD so you know what to be aware of.
Not every woman will experience every symptom. But if you are experiencing any of these it’s important that you get help. PPD is very treatable, so it’s important that you recognize the signs, understand that you’re not a bad mother, and reach out for the help you need.
If you’d like to explore treatment options, please get in touch with me. I’d be happy to discuss how I may be able to help you during this time.
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Having children is one of the greatest gifts and joys in life. However, carrying those children for 9 months can sometimes really be a pain. Literally! Pregnant women deal with a variety of aches and pains leading up to their delivery date. They often must contend with back pain, hip pain, pelvic pain, and headaches. […]
Having children is one of the greatest gifts and joys in life. However, carrying those children for 9 months can sometimes really be a pain. Literally!
Pregnant women deal with a variety of aches and pains leading up to their delivery date. They often must contend with back pain, hip pain, pelvic pain, and headaches. While some women simply grin and bear the pain, assuming it’s just a part of being pregnant, other women have turned toward chiropractic care to find relief.
The American Pregnancy Organization defines chiropractic care as, “… a process that helps maintain the “spinal column, discs, and related nerves” in perfect health. The practice also focuses on maintaining bone geometry.”
Using various techniques, a chiropractor is able to perform adjustments to put misaligned joints back where they belong, thereby relieving associated pain and discomfort. But beyond relieving the common aches and pains of pregnancy, there are some other wonderful benefits chiropractic offers pregnant women:
Chiropractic has been shown to help reduce labor and delivery time. Evidence has shown women who have received chiropractic care during their pregnancy may experience shorter labor times. Furthermore, chiropractic care has been shown to potentially reduce the time spent in labor by as much as 2 hours! So, whether it’s your first child or third child, chiropractic can help you spend less time in labor and delivery.
Attending regular chiropractic appointments during pregnancy can dramatically lower your chances of cesarean delivery. One of the most common reasons for C-sections is because the baby cannot align its own body into an optimal delivery position because of intrauterine constraints. Using various techniques, chiropractors can make adjustments to assure that your baby is in the optimal position, readying him or her for birth.
Yes. The American Pregnancy Organization says chiropractic care is very safe. And, you will find that some chiropractors specialize in areas such as prenatal and postnatal care. So if you are interested in receiving chiropractic during your pregnancy, you can always look for a specialist in your area.
And speaking of being in the area, if you are nearby and would like to explore treatment options, please give our office a call or stop in to schedule a free consultation.
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Having a baby is one of the most amazing and awesome events in a person’s life. Babies bring joy and laughter into the house. But the reality is, they also bring sleepless nights and inevitable and irreversible change. Having a baby also brings changes to a woman’s body. During pregnancy and right after, a woman […]
Having a baby is one of the most amazing and awesome events in a person’s life. Babies bring joy and laughter into the house. But the reality is, they also bring sleepless nights and inevitable and irreversible change.
Having a baby also brings changes to a woman’s body. During pregnancy and right after, a woman will experience shifts in her hormones. This may cause her to feel some depression and anxiety. This is a perfectly natural response to the event and is called having the “baby blues.”
But how do you tell if what you are experiencing is the “baby blues” or postpartum depression (PPD)?
As I mentioned, the baby blues is a very normal reaction. While the symptoms of anxiety and depression don’t feel good, they are mild and typically only last about two weeks.
Should symptoms worsen or last longer than two weeks, a new mother is considered to have PPD and encouraged to seek care and guidance from a mental health professional.
You may be surprised to learn that rates of depression among new fathers are very similar to those among new mothers. While male depression and anxiety are not a result of fluctuating hormones, their experience is very real.
One of the best ways new parents can cope with the initial baby blues is to find support from friends and family. This is particularly true when the couple has had their first child. This support will ensure both mom and dad can get some much-needed rest in those first few weeks. After this time, they will have gotten their “sea legs” and feel a bit more confident with their parenting instincts.
It’s also important that both parents try and eat right during this time. Try not to rely solely on fast food and other processed food items that may give you a quick burst of “fake” energy, only to have your energy and mood crash later. And it’s important to also take a bit of exercise. This will keep your body feeling good and help the release of natural “feel-good” endorphins.
And finally, it may help to speak with a therapist. He or she can help you navigate your strong emotions and offer strategies to cope with being new parents.
If you or someone you know is a new parent and would like to explore treatment options, please get in touch with me. I would be more than happy to discuss how I may help.
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