Guess What's Here, TXReject! ?
Q: Seriously, I did read about this and it's heartbreaking. Apparently she was
suffering from postpartum depression, which can really mess up some women. (A
relative of mine just left her family for a few months after the birth of her
youngest.) She called her husband at work and all she said was "You'd better
come home." That poor bastard.
A:On this subject, here's a bit of pure speculation on my part: the woman has
5 children in pretty rapid succession, and she homeschools too. Perhaps
there is an element of religious fanaticism thrown into the mix? I am going
to be very curious to see if we hear about voices from God, or something to
that effect.
Having the blues after giving birth isn't all that unusual. As many
as 50 percent to 80 percent of women experience the "baby blues": feelings of
anxiety, sadness or crying spells, irritability, disturbed sleep (apart from
baby interruptions) or change in appetite. Women and their families may be
distressed by the experience, but it doesn't last long.
The baby blues usually arrive two to three days after delivery. And with lots
of loving support, new moms are pretty much back to normal within two weeks.
But not all feelings of sadness after the birth of a child are the baby blues.
They may be symptomatic of a postpartum depression.
What's postpartum depression?
"Postpartum depression is a common, but frequently unrecognized, devastating
mood disorder," says Kathryn Leopold, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics
at Albany Medical Center in New York. Most women who develop postpartum
depression experience symptoms within six weeks of delivery, but not within the
first two weeks. While similar to the baby blues, postpartum depression is more
severe and longer-lasting.
As with other types of depression, the cause of postpartum depression is
unknown. However, research suggests a probable combination of factors may be
responsible, says Leopold. A woman experiences a dramatic change in her body
chemistry after giving birth as a result of the sudden drop in estrogen and
progesterone. She also experiences increased stress with an equally sudden
change in role and responsibility. Add a biological or genetic predisposition
to depression and/or a psychological predisposition (such as pessimism or low
self-esteem), and you may have the basis for a postpartum depression.
How successful is treatment?
Most women make a full recovery, says Marlene Casiano, M.D., a Chicago-based
psychiatrist with a subspecialty in postpartum depression. But they are at risk
of recurrent episodes of depression with subsequent pregnancies, at menopause,
or during times of high stress.
The treatment for postpartum depression is the same as for other major
depressions: antidepressant medication, often in conjunction with
psychotherapy. As with any other medication, special attention must be paid if
a woman is breast-feeding -- it may limit the choice of antidepressant
medication, but it doesn't rule it out. Electroconvulsive