Red Flags During Postpartum When it comes to mental health, everyone is different. However, if a new mother is feeling suicidal, this is an immediate need for help. “If a new mother is concerned about how she feels, that itself is a red flag, and it might be time to seek help or counseling,” says Rauber. “A lot of these postpartum issues are treatable through counseling with a therapist.” If you are struggling, please reach out to The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline 1-833-943-5746 and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). How to Manage Postpartum Anxiety and Depression According to Rauber, about one out of five women will not bounce back in their endocrine system
after giving birth. This means that one out of five women will need support during the postpartum period. Many women during the postpartum period struggle to do any amount of self-care inside or outside of the bathroom. What postpartum self-care comes down to is working with a support system. For dads helping postpartum moms, this could look like extending patience, being compassionate, being encouraging, being supportive, and helping to meet her needs. In addition, parents should set up an alternating six-hour baby sleep schedule to help ward off depression caused by sleep deprivation. These small things can make a huge impact on recovering moms.
As with pregnancy, making a plan to deal with the postpartum recovery period is imperative for mothers who are processing the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum emotions. If a woman doesn’t have emotional support, the best thing to do is to acknowledge that a perinatal mood disorder is happening. A lot of women with PPD know they don’t feel good, but can’t figure out what the problem is. In order to take control of the situation, sometimes naming the problem can help women find relief. “I encourage anybody who is trying to plan for children or in the process of pregnancy to educate themselves about these disorders after pregnancy. Anyone is at risk,” says Rauber. “The earlier you learn and have a therapeutic relationship, the better.”
Make a Plan for the Postpartum Period
of
s
%
y s g,
s us
SPRING 2024 | PINK&BLUE
23
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online