Sample Research Paper On Postpartum Depression

Having a baby can be a very enjoyable experience, but sometimes a mother feels some unpleasant feelings like "baby blues" - mood swings and anxiety about child upbringing. But if a mother has more serious symptoms and severe emotions it may result a postpartum depression.
Such kind of depression should be treated as soon as possible, because it affects mother's ability to take care of her child. With a qualified help everything can get back to normal and a woman will be able to enjoy this unique experience of being a mother.
Baby blues symptoms may appear because of the hormonal problems after giving a birth, and they include problems with sleeping, bad mood and loss of appetite. Such problems are common and they disappear after a short period of time (up to 2 weeks). There is no need for a special treatment - a mother needs constant support and appreciation from her family and eventually she will feel better.

Sometimes the symptoms last longer and lead to postpartum depression. They include:

Bad appetite
Insomnia
Lack of interest in the baby
Lack of concern about yourself
Negative feelings towards the baby
Suicide thoughts
Lack of interest in sex life
Such depression usually develops after the childbirth, but in some cases it can suddenly appear months after the baby was born. Not treated postpartum depression can last for months and cause a serious damage for the family. It some situations a father may suffer from the depression as well. There are different causes of it:
- physical changes
A woman goes through a difficult transformation during pregnancy - first of all, she gains a lot of weight and sometimes it takes a lot of time to get back to a normal shape. A mother can feel she is not attractive anymore and she is afraid to have a sex life again.
- stress and emotional factors

A mother may have a fear of raising a baby, she is anxious and often overwhelmed with the new duties.

- lifestyle
Financial conditions, absence of a partner, lack of support from the other members of the family or a demanding baby may also cause postpartum depression.
Postpartum psychosis is a rare condition which may appear after the childbirth and lead to paranoia, disorientation, delusion, thoughts about harming the baby. It is often treated with medications or even with the help of ECT - electroconvulsive therapy.
A woman cannot treat herself from postpartum depression, but there are some things which can help her fight with it - have a healthy lifestyle including daily activities, sports, healthy food and avoidance of nicotine and alcohol, spend more time with her family and keep positive thoughts and realistic expectations.
Postpartum depression treatment includes medication and counseling. First of all, there is a need to talk to a psychiatrist and find a way to understand what a woman feels. Sometimes it is better to have a family therapy. Antidepressants are often a good treatment in such cases, and also there are some types of them which can be used while breastfeeding. Also hormone therapy (estrogen replacement) is a well known method of treatment.
After a childbirth a family has a very stressful period of time and postpartum depression makes it even more complicated for all the members of the family. The earlier the symptoms are noticed , the sooner they can be treated and the family will be able to enjoy a newborn baby.

Works Cited

"Postpartum Depression - Mayo Clinic." Mayo Clinic. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2015.
"Postpartum Depression and the Baby Blues: Symptoms, Treatment, and Support for New Mothers." Helpguide.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2015.