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Essay / Suffering in Silence: The Development of Postpartum Depression
People say a baby is always a blessing, but getting pregnant and carrying a child for nine months is no walk in the park. Many changes can happen to a woman, physically and emotionally. Some can easily accept and adopt it, others cannot. Even though most new moms are excited about the idea, there are still some who aren't and others may feel both, leading to the question of why. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay After giving birth, a usual situation is experienced by new mothers. Women would experience fluctuations in emotions and mood swings. They would feel happy, then suddenly they would feel sad. For a while they feel really excited, then after a few minutes they cry. Others have lost their appetite, have trouble sleeping, are hypersensitive, anxious and have poor concentration. This is what we commonly call the “baby blues.” It's normal for new mothers to experience baby blues and it usually occurs early in the postpartum period, within three to ten days after giving birth. However, if these symptoms last more than two weeks and appear to be getting worse, the mother may be suffering from postpartum depression and should seek professional medical attention. Postpartum depression or PPD is a major depressive episode associated with childbirth. This is due to the significant drop in estrogen and progesterone which creates a chemical change in the brain leading to mood swings. Unlike the baby blues, a mother with postpartum depression feels worse over time, and changes in her behavior do not go away on their own, even with the help of loved ones. Postpartum depression with major mood disorder, or postpartum depression (PPD), affects 10 to 16% of postpartum women. These statistics simply imply the importance of providing additional medical assistance to new mothers, especially first-time moms. But because not all women are diagnosed, the real number could be even higher. But how do you know if a woman has PPD? The signs are almost the same as those of the baby blues but it is more severe and serious. New mothers report an increased need to sleep, sleep heavily, but wake instantly at the slightest sound from the infant and are unable to go back to sleep after the infant feeds. One mother described the onset as being related to an inability to breastfeed, not disappointingly. Breastfeeding plays an important role in PPD. A maternal hormone called oxytocin is released by the brain during breastfeeding, which increases relaxation and concentration. It can also reduce stress and anxiety. Another characteristic of postpartum depression is infant rejection. There are mothers who would feel jealous of the baby's presence, thinking that the baby will take his place in the affection of his partner and in the attention of his family. The mother may show disinterest and irritation. This attitude is rarely addressed due to the woman's embarrassment and, therefore, can provoke violent outbursts and lead to harm to the child or a family member. Although women with postpartum depression have no idea of harming their infant, the feeling of abandonment can lead to a trust issue with the mother, which depends on Erikson's stages of psychosocial development. Some women may not want to talk about it because they feel like people will consider them.