According to research, 1 in 10 mothers experiences post partum depression at some point after delivery. PPD may take up to a year to show up, or it may occur within a few days after delivery. Symptoms include feeling exhausted, depressed, anxious, panicky, or just not yourself.
PPD can be serious, but it is treatable and usually temporary. A breastfeeding mother may want to consider several options for treating PPD. It is important to speak with your health care provider regarding any treatment options you choose so that both you and your baby can be monitored for effectiveness of treatment and any potential side effects.
A mild case of PPD or “the baby blues” can be effectively treated without medications. Try these mood lifters:
Get lots of rest. When baby takes a nap, you should be too.
Eat nutritious foods and eat frequently.
Practice relaxation exercises like those done in a pre-natal class.
Nutritional supplements can be very helpful: add extra selenium (1 brazil nut a day) or extra folic acid to your diet.
Get at least 30 minutes of sunlight every day. A lack of sunlight can worsen depression symptoms. For that matter, try to get a little exercise by taking the baby for a walk.
Take the time to get dressed and fix your hair every day. Looking better will help you feel better about yourself.
Talk with someone about your feelings or consider joining a support group for new moms.
When self-help isn’t Enough
You can take anti-depressants and breastfeed. It is generally thought that it is best to both treat the mother and continue breastfeeding because the baby then benefits from breast milk and a happy mother. It is not considered safe to ignore depression symptoms as this could possibly put an infant in danger.
The most common anti-depressant medications belong to a group of medications called SRI’s and they work by boosting the neuro-chemical serotonin. Medications in this group include Paxil, Zoloft, and Prozac. Zoloft seems to be the safest to take while breastfeeding. In studies that have been done, traces of the medication are generally undetectable in the infant’s blood. If Zoloft is not the best option for you personally, Paxil is the next best choice and Prozac is the last choice, although both are considered safe for breastfeeding mothers to take.
Post partum depression is serious, but can be temporary and is treatable. The first step in treating post partum depression is talking with your doctor. You can try alternative methods to treating post partum depression as well. Many mothers find these things helpful to do. However, if your symptoms persist or are severe, you can take anti-depressants and breastfeed.
Information for this article was taken from the following websites:
Ask Dr. Sears
Kellymom
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Post Partum Depression: An Overview
Post Partum Depression