Normalizing the conversation around postpartum depression: ‘It’s OK to not be OK’
Less than a week after a Montgomery County, Maryland, mother was charged with the murder of her three-month-old baby and ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation, county health officials are encouraging residents to learn the signs of postpartum depression — and the less common postpartum psychosis.
In a news release sent out Friday, Montgomery County Health Officer Dr. Kisha Davis describes the symptoms of postpartum depression and psychosis, and steps to take if you suspect you or a loved one are suffering from the condition.
Davis said it’s common to feel what’s called the “baby blues,” often referred to as feeling a bit sad or disconnected following a birth. But that’s different from postpartum depression, she said.
While baby blues can last a few days, postpartum depression can be persistent, lasting for weeks or months, according to Davis. Symptoms include anxiety, depression or mood swings getting in the way of daily tasks or one’s ability to take care of their baby. Sometimes recurring thoughts of death or suicide can also occur.
“I’ve heard people describe it as everybody’s talking about how great this new baby is, and the mother feels like this doesn’t feel so great, that baby doesn’t look as beautiful as they say. It is intense anger and irritability, feelings of hopelessness or feeling worthless or guilty or feeling inadequate,” Davis said.
She said postpartum psychosis is even more severe, with symptoms including hallucinations, paranoia, delusions or disordered thinking.
“It’s important to note that both postpartum depression, or the much more severe postpartum psychosis, can put the mom, the mother, at risk of harming herself or the baby,” Davis said.
If you know someone you think is suffering from postpartum depression or psychosis, Davis said it’s important to start the conversation.
That can include encouraging the mother to speak with her primary care provider, OB-GYN, or the infant’s health care professional about what she’s feeling. Davis said offering to take a load off the mother’s plate by lending a hand with child care can also help.
“I think there was a generation where you just didn’t talk about feelings in that way. I am really reassured that I think the current generation is much more willing to talk about the realities of what it is to have a baby, what it does to your body that maybe you weren’t expecting, what it does to your brain … it’s OK to not be OK,” Davis said.
It’s important to remember that social media often gives us a tainted view of what’s normal, according to Davis.
“Recognize that nobody has a perfect life, and whatever is curated that you might see on social media about the beautiful baby room or the mom who looks perfect after delivery — all of that is curated,” Davis said.
You can contact the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline 24/7 at 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262) by telephone or text. The hotline is a free and confidential resource to help people who are pregnant or just had a baby. Services are available in English and Spanish.