does everyone

[AMagicalWishxoxo]

get ppd ??? and what exactly is it


<33 Italy

[Viola]

I think most women who have babies have a post partum experience that may or may not end up being a true depression or psychosis. I think more women end up with "baby blues" but I like to call it post partum experience just because I feel like that makes it seem less like an all or nothing thing--you're fine or you're not. The bottom line for me is that this is a time of major upheaval in many ways and often a lack of sleep goes along with it, and the effects of sleep deprivation should never be underestimated. It takes a physical and mental toll. I think our whole model for pregnant, birthing and post partum mothers is way off of what the ideal is for us to be as well as we can. Look at the way pregnancy and childbirth are handled by the majority of people in this country, and then combine that with this idea that after we have a baby everything is supposed to be just as it was beforehand. Given the hormonal changes as well as the "OH MY GOODNESS, SOMEONE JUST GAVE ME A BRAND NEW PERSON WHO IS COMPLETELY DEPENDENT ON ME" aspect of things, we are going to have some post partum issues.

Now a true clinical depression or psychosis that occurs in the post partum period is different. I don't want to downplay the seriousness of that, but I think the true psychotic breaks are rare and there is a lot that can exacerbate that too.

The problem I have is this approach that is not nurturing or holistic at all (and I am pretty mainstream on the medicine front) but is just like, "Oh, you feel that way? That's a disease, see a doctor." I read an interview with Brooke Shields in a magazine about her battle with PPD and I really was unhappy with the article. She would talk about she was feeling and how wrong it was and can you imagine someone thinking that and I was like, "yes, I can, I had some of those same feelings! A lot of women do." It just seems like the whole look at this brave woman coming out with the truth about her life is not perfect is surreal, and it is trying to make pathological aspects of our natures and experiences that divides us even further from the kind of support we need.

[Nisupulla]

NO!!!

"Only" 20-25% of the population will ever experience "depression" in their lifetime. I believe that those 75-80% who never experience "depression", think depression is the same as experiencing a setback or disappointment, or grief. I believe that that is why people think you can "snap out of it".

IMO, depression is a totally different animal that most people will never experience.

Here is a link that estimates that about 70% of women will experience the "baby blues". I did with my second but not my first. Of course, I didn't know what it was and I misunderstood the nurse who told me it was "normal". I thought she meant "normal" for all c-sec's, not common in all birthing moms.

The same link says about 10-20% will experience PPD. That sounds about right to me. I didn't figure out that I had PPD until 9mos postpartum and even then my doctor didn't diagnose it. She just said many moms who go through IVF have a tough time.

PPD is a big deal, if you ask me. It should be taken seriously and treated aggressively. Holistic, therapy, drugs, ...makes no difference how it gets treated as long as the person is satisfied with the method and the treatment works effectively. Untreated depression has devastating consequences both to mother and baby.

I believe that depression is a serious deal that is often poo-pooed and/or "blamed" on the person. Since most people who are depressed have an exaggerated sense of guilt (by definition), that subtle blaming can make a bad situation worse.

I strongly believe that depression/PPD has a strong physiological basis and has little to do with people's perceived ideas of "crazy".

[AMagicalWishxoxo]

well i actually experienced depression for about 2 years. im 16 years old and when i found out i was pregnant i realized i have to make a better life than i was living and i forced my way out. i am still sort of depressed days are often different but i just didn't know if everyone got a post pardum depression or not because yikes.. but thanks for the help.


<33 Italy