What is Postpartum
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What is postpartum depression?
Babybety.com is not just a fun game to help you raise a little extra cash for your little one. It is also a place to chat, get info, and connect with a family that has experienced pregnancy and wants to help.
That said, I would like to talk about my experience with postpartum and how to help get treatment for yourself or your loved ones.
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a type of mood disorder associated with childbirth, and it can affect both sexes. Symptoms can include extreme sadness, low energy, anxiety, changes in sleeping & eating patterns, crying episodes, and irritability.
If you have had children before, many symptoms look just like those of a parent with a new baby, such as little sleep and exhaustion. If your little one has any belly issues or colic, then anxiety, irritability and crying also fit right into that mold. However, these new baby issues can quickly turn into PPD which can lead to more serious issues.
When I was in the hospital with my baby, I remember everyone saying, “If you have thoughts of hurting yourself or your baby, seek help.” I thought that is the weirdest thing ever. I would never hurt my child. I would still never hurt my child, nor have I ever had thoughts of hurting my child. However, I did have thoughts of leaving both my husband and baby behind and driving off a cliff. I know what you’re thinking “How on earth do you go from the best moment of your life to one of the worst?” It happened subconsciously, and it took hours of therapy and self-love to pull myself out of my postpartum depression. This is why I am so adamant about spreading the word about PPD. Having it doesn’t make you weak, a bad mom, or any less of a person.
FUN FACT: One in seven women will experience something more extreme than just the “baby blues”
The best way to describe PPD to someone who has never experienced it is this… A pregnant woman has been getting pumped with all those feel good hormones for the last nine months. Then in the matter of a day or so, she now quits all those hormones cold turkey without warning. It is horrible. It leaves you with wicked mood swings that make you wonder what the hell is happening. Most of the time you get called crazy, and let me tell you, there is no instance in history in which if you call a crazy person crazy, they stopped and said to themselves, “You know what? You’re right. I am just going to calm down”.
The worst part about postpartum is that people are scared to talk about it. It’s like they think it is voodoo or that you are a bad mom because you are experiencing it. I will tell you right now that that is not true. I am a fantastic mom. I love my children with all my heart. I was unprepared and ill-informed to deal with the emotions that hit me. Luckily, I had a wonderful support system in my husband, who did everything he could to help get me help, listen to my feelings, and take my side no matter what.
So, to all moms-to-be/moms out there, you are not alone. We need to speak up about our feelings, ask for help, and tell people to leave us when we need baby time. You are not a bad mom, daughter, family member, sibling, friend, etc. for voicing what you need during this time. Remember to take time for you and your little one, grab moments of silence when you can, and never ever feel like you can’t get help or that you shouldn’t talk about these feelings.
In starting babybety.com, I had my postpartum in mind. This was an expense that popped up after we had the baby. Therapy, though totally worth it, was not cheap. Adding that to the diapers, formula, etc., costs stack up quickly. That is why the funds you receive from babybety.com are so useful.
Tags: postpartum, postpartum depression