3 Warning Signs Of Postpartum Depression

Giving birth is usually one of the most beautiful moments in every woman’s life. However, this is not the case for all mothers, as the following weeks and months can sometimes  turn into hell. So you need to know the warning signs of postpartum depression.

The truth is that postpartum depression, although not very common,  can greatly complicate the lives of mothers who suffer from it. However, according to a study on postpartum depression in Spain carried out by Suavinex, more than a third of Spanish mothers claim to have suffered from this mood disorder. Therefore, with this article we have the objective of learning to recognize it and identify the most common symptoms.

Clarification on Warning Signs of Postpartum Depression

Before starting with the list, it is necessary to warn several things about the signals that we are going to comment on next. For one thing, you  don’t have to have all the symptoms to really be suffering from this condition. Every woman’s experience with postpartum depression will be different. Because of this, this guide can serve you only as a reference, but in the end the only one who knows how you feel in the puerperium is you.

On the other hand,  many people experience some of the symptoms mentioned here infrequently. The warning signs of postpartum depression don’t work like this. One of the biggest indicators that you suffer from this situation is that your mood is similar to the one mentioned below on a constant basis, for at least several weeks.

And finally, it is sometimes difficult to detect postpartum depression because it can present comorbidity; that is, it  can occur at the same time as other psychological problems. Therefore, it is important to become well acquainted with these symptoms in order to identify them early and consult a specialist.

List of most common symptoms

Now, let’s move on to look at some of the most common warning signs of postpartum depression.

1- You feel overwhelmed

When a woman gives birth, she often feels a bit saturated. This is totally normal and happens to many new mothers. However, in postpartum depression,  this symptom becomes much more severe and frequent.

Thus, women who suffer from this condition  believe that they will never be able to do it well and that they are doomed to fail as mothers. They have the impression that they are going to fail and that they are doing more harm than good to the baby. These thoughts also tend to be accompanied by other problems such as generalized and constant anxiety.

On the other hand, this symptom can appear regardless of whether  the mother is doing her job well or not. In general, the problem comes from a series of irrational beliefs and not from a real defect.

2- Feeling of guilt

One of the most painful warning signs of postpartum depression for women who suffer from it is guilt. On some occasions,  mothers with this problem torture themselves thinking that they should not feel that way. They believe that they should be happier, or that their inability to be more content with motherhood is a sign that they are not ready for it.

Sometimes even  women with this problem feel a certain rejection towards their baby. They wonder why they don’t love him as much and automatically as they had heard would happen. Thus, the fact that they are brooding so much on this subject leads them to distance themselves even more from it.

This problem is caused mainly by not very tight expectations about motherhood. The truth is that  having a child is something that will give us wonderful moments, but it will also make you go through other bad ones. In any case, postpartum is a reality check, a vital and identity change that takes time to manage and that, on the other hand, is not easy given the social expectations that are assumed.

3- Uncontrolled emotions

The last of the warning signs of postpartum depression is the emergence of very powerful and constantly changing feelings. Thus, a mother with this problem may feel sad at a certain moment and after a while be angry, happy or overwhelmed. These changes  tend to exhaust the person and make them feel bad about themselves.

In a sense, it  is normal to have a bit of emotional disturbance after having a child. This happens to almost all women who give birth. However, in the case of postpartum depression this symptom will be much more extreme.

The reason is that, due to the intense emotions of overwhelm and anxiety that the person has, the rest of the feelings will also be out of control. In addition, the irrational beliefs that often accompany this condition will also make this symptom worse.

What to do with postpartum depression?

As you can see, the symptoms of this problem  can be quite severe. However, the first thing to remember is that it is normal for this moment to be complicated. This situation happens to many women and it does not mean that you are a worse mother or have an intractable problem.

That said, if you think you might be suffering from true postpartum depression, it  is recommended that you seek professional help. A specialized psychology professional can help you manage your emotions and feelings. In addition, it would help you enjoy a moment as special as motherhood much more.