Pt Health Life – Postpartum depression, if not detected early and treated promptly, can affect the health of both mother and child…
Postpartum depression is a condition that involves feelings of sadness, anxiety, or hopelessness that occur after giving birth.
Postpartum depression causes many serious consequences. In many cases, mothers fall into depression but are not detected or treated promptly, ruining their lives and taking the lives of their children.
1. Treat postpartum depression without medication
There are several natural methods that may be helpful in easing postpartum depression , such as:
- Have skin-to-skin contact and cuddle with your baby.
- Use music therapy.
- Massage support for mothers.
- Getting enough sleep is also a way to reduce postpartum anxiety, reducing caffeine intake helps the body sleep more easily.
- Ask for help so you have time to take care of yourself.
- Wean gradually. If you are breastfeeding and decide to wean, try to do so gently to minimize sudden hormonal changes.
In addition, prenatal preparation steps also help improve overall postpartum mental health :
- Participate in training classes with experts.
- Networking, spending time with other mothers, helps you share experiences and fears.
- Get reasonable exercise during pregnancy by going for a walk or joining a yoga group for pregnant women to help you sleep well and meet other mothers.
Psychotherapy:
It is a partnership between therapist and patient, and helps the mother learn to identify and face negative thoughts, avoid triggers, and learn new ways of coping.
Psychotherapy helps address anxiety and improve mood. Time is often short-term and requires help from the whole family.
2. Medications to treat postpartum depression
Antidepressants : Selective serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs and SNRIs) increase levels of mood stabilizers in the brain. SSRIs (including fluoxetine, sertraline, etc.) are the first choice for treating depression.
Anti-anxiety medications : Medications that reduce anxiety, such as benzodiazepines. Because SSRI and SNRI medications take up to a month to start working, your doctor may prescribe a short course of benzodiazepines (such as lorazepam or ativan), which help reduce anxiety and induce sleep, but should only be used in a short time.
These drugs have side effects such as nausea and anxiety in the first few weeks, indigestion, headaches, SNRIs ( duloxetine , etc.) can also cause high blood pressure.
3. Is it safe to take antidepressants if you are breastfeeding?
SSRI medications are generally considered safe for most mothers, even while breastfeeding. Although these medications can pass into breast milk, they are usually only in very small amounts. The benefits of breastfeeding appear to outweigh the small risks of taking these medications. Not only that, if postpartum depression is not treated, it can cause difficulties for children.
Therefore, it is still necessary to take antidepressants if the mother has postpartum depression. If necessary, short-acting benzodiazepines can be used in divided doses during breastfeeding. Note, need to monitor side effects in children (eg: Sedation, poor feeding and irritability).
4. Be careful when using medicine
To use medicine safely, patients need to:
– Do not arbitrarily use medicine.
– Absolutely comply with the doctor’s instructions and medication instructions.
– Absolutely do not increase, decrease or stop taking medication without consulting your doctor.
– When taking the medicine, if you have any unusual symptoms, you should immediately notify your doctor for timely treatment.