Post Partum Depression Magnified With Multiple Births

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

 

     I would like to bring awareness to Post Partum Depression.  Its real, it should be addressed as soon as the diagnosis for a pregnancy is made.  Primary care doctors should truly educate patients on the signs and symptoms, because they often can just be swept away as normal sufferings of every parent. 

 

    Post partum depression is a condition that manifests itself in women following the birth of a child. The most notable symptoms experienced by sufferers of post partum depression include sleeping disturbances, really, as if a crying infant, or two or three is not enough to wake you up, recurrent sadness, ok, here is another one, yeah, my freedom is gone, my friends don't care to help, my family has their lives to carry on with, loss of appetite, oh, sure, because I am breast feeding and pumping every drop, and feel like a two-legged cow, and I have so much time in between twins, or triplets to eat, much less to prepare a meal, loss of energy, do I have to mention this one...hopelessness, I hope my husband will come home from working his 9-5 job and help me, frustration, yeah, because I can't accomplish shit, exhaustion, yeah, cause 1 baby will make you tired, but Multiples will cause sheer and utter depletion of any bit of energy you have, guilt, I cant take care of my husband, myself, any other people in the house, low self esteem, because lets face it, you are still in that jogging suit 3 days later, social withdrawal, could have something to do from the fact that you have not showered, or put on deodorant, and many other negative experiences. The key symptom contributing to the classification of this type of depression is feeling lack of affection for the new born baby.

 

    I think there are several therapies to treating this, and even if you feel alone, help is available for postpartum depression include psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and medication, and some women find that a combination works best.

Some ideas I have are getting on a schedule, keep the babies on a schedule, as best you can.  The NICU often helps initiate this, stick with it. 

Force yourself to make time for you, yes, the babies will cry, as long as you know they are fed and changed, a 5 minute shower, a song on your iPod, a phone call with a friend, anything to break up the day. Put some deodorant on, shave your legs, lip gloss, maybe? If you look good, you feel good.

----ASK for help! Don't let this get the best of you! Let friends or family know you don't have anything else to give and you need help! If you feel like you are being swallowed up by PPD, talk to your doctor, church, family, moms of multiples group in your area. 

 

Let the small stuff go, live in the moment with the babies.  Take lots of photos! It will pass you by so quickly.