Therapy for Postpartum Depression in Ballard, Seattle
Your baby is finally here. And you can’t understand why you are struggling with negative emotions. It wasn’t supposed to be this hard. This experience should be a happy time, and you should enjoy yourself and your baby, right?
Endless hours soothing your baby, bone-weary fatigue, and worries about yourself and the baby or feeling sad, irritable, or anxious can hijack your experience.
You may have guilt, lack of interest in your baby, changes in eating and sleeping habits, trouble concentrating, thoughts of hopelessness, and sometimes even thoughts of harming the baby or yourself.
You may feel overwhelmed, irritable, down, or even hopeless…
You may feel like you can’t cope with the demands of motherhood and that it’s all too much!
Do you wonder whether you made a mistake in becoming a mom? Feelings of guilt can arise when your depressed brain tells you that you are not doing a good job being a mother, and maybe your baby deserves more. Bonding with your baby may not be happening in the way you imagined.
Not every mom with postpartum depression feels this way, but many do.
One in five women will develop a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder during pregnancy or within the first twelve months of their baby’s birth.
If this is happening to you, know that it is not your fault. It can happen to any woman, regardless of age, race, or demographic status, and it’s not linked to anything you did or didn’t do.
Why Is This Happening?
Postpartum depression is caused by a combination of physical and emotional factors. It often starts within one to four weeks after giving birth, but it can also show up anytime within the 12 months following childbirth. Untreated, postpartum depression can last for months or even years. It can not only cause intense suffering, but it can also interrupt the mother and child bonding process and affect your other relationships. The good news is that postpartum depression responds well to treatment, including both talk-therapy and medication.
Risk Factors (according to Postpartum Support International)
- A personal or family history of depression, anxiety, or postpartum depression
- Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD or PMS)
- Inadequate support in caring for the baby
- Financial stress
- Marital stress
- Complications in pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding
- A major recent life event: loss, house move, job loss
- Mothers of multiples
- Mothers whose infants are in Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU)
- Mothers who’ve gone through infertility treatments
- Women with a thyroid imbalance
- Women with any form of diabetes (type 1, type 2, or gestational)
If you’re experiencing Postpartum Depression, Iris Hogan can help:
