The blues or postpartum depression?
Having a baby is one of the most exciting times in a woman's life, but in some cases, a woman may experience postpartum depression.
Dr. Kathleen Graves, an Ob/Gyn physician, explains how to recognize and treat this condition in her podcast, "Understanding postpartum depression," at coxhealth.com.
She says postpartum depression can be confused with the blues.
"When a woman has a baby, within four or five days she may begin to feel blue and tired because of lack of sleep, and more irritable because of her new responsibilities. This usually lasts a couple of weeks. True postpartum depression can last for months and occur anytime in the first year after giving birth," says Dr. Graves.
Symptoms of postpartum depression may include anger, moodiness, irritability, sadness, being very sleepy or not being able to sleep at all, anxiety and not eating or eating too much. According to Dr. Graves, 75 percent of women experience the blues and 5 to 10 percent of women have postpartum depression.
"If someone is blue they may feel really tired and run down. Someone who is depressed may not get out of bed," she says.
Dr. Graves advises women to not be afraid to contact their physician if they think they have postpartum depression. Treatments may include counseling and medication.
For more information, listen to her entire podcast at coxhealth.com and check out our other HealthSense podcasts:
Tips for a healthy pregnancy
Maximizing your chances for getting pregnant
The basics of breastfeeding. Thank you for passing HealthSense along. Join our CoxHealth Moms Facebook page today.
Our calendar of events on page 10 has details on programs for pre-teens and teens. These include Babysitting Basics, In Charge at Home, Athletic Advantage Performance Camps and Mother/Daughter Lunch and Fashion Show.
Family Beginnings Cox South and Cox Monett have experts to help you through each stage of pregnancy and childbirth with classes, labor preparation resources, breastfeeding assistance and more. Please visit us before your baby is due. Our staff will give you a guided tour of the Family Beginnings suites and nurseries, and answer your questions. For more information, call 269-LADY in Springfield and 354-1COX in Monett.
