POSTARTUM POSTARTUM DEPRESSION
How familiar do these sentences sound to you?
I feel inadequate as a mother, I cannot take care of my baby.
Everyone says something different about raising babies, I’m confused.
My baby was born and I should be happy but I feel helpless.
I lost my self-confidence, I gained weight, I look bad.
The baby is not getting enough nutrition.
WHY?
Short-term depressive mood is normal after the baby is born.
However, if the depressed mood still persists or worsens after a few weeks, you may be experiencing postpartum depression.
People often have difficulty understanding postpartum depression, or some may feel embarrassed about it and try to hide it.
Some practices that the mother can help herself with;
Creating a secure bond with your baby is important. Along with the benefits it provides to the baby, it helps to provide endorphins that make you feel happier as a mother.
Don’t try to be the perfect housewife. It is not important that food is cooked at home every day, that the house is clean and tidy. Minimize what you have to do.
Don’t keep your feelings to yourself. Talking about your feelings is important.
Ask for help and accept the help that comes to you. Convince yourself that there is nothing to be ashamed of when asking for help or to feel guilty about accepting it.
TREATMENT
It is a disorder that can be treated with psychotherapy, medication, and strong social support.
In more severe cases, inpatient treatment may be required if the mother has impaired judgment.
It is extremely important to understand and evaluate the extent of family and social support during the psychotherapy process.
Social support; It positively affects the adaptation process of the woman in the pregnancy and postpartum period to the role of motherhood.
In addition, the client’s own perception of expectations and responsibilities regarding the role of motherhood in this process should be particularly addressed and emphasized.
