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So you’ve read through the signs and symptoms of stress, baby blues and postpartum depression. Fatigue, mood swings, weepiness, irritability, guilt, anxiety, forgetfulness and despondency are high on your list. Maybe disappointment, numbness, lack of interest in your baby and yourself, hypersensitivity to criticism and feelings of vulnerability are on there as well. And let’s not forget your restless sleep patterns, loss of sexuality, insomnia, confusion and difficulty concentrating. If you are experiencing some combination of these, you must have a postpartum mood disorder, right?
Not necessarily. While I believe PPD and other postpartum disorders are often under-diagnosed, they are not always the true culprits. At Mommy-Muse.com, we recommend that mothers who come to us with symptoms of postpartum mood disorders get a comprehensive medical assessment to check for underlying biochemical issues. It is certainly possible that you have a postpartum mood disorder if you experience these symptoms for an extended period of time following the birth of your child. However, it is important to know that nearly all of the “classic” postnatal disorder symptoms can be caused by a wide range of other medical disorders.
Take a look at these examples: Diabetes can cause low energy, anxiety and other symptoms of depression. Anemia can be responsible for fatigue, weakness and irritability. Thyroid disorders, prevalent in up to 10% of postpartum women, can mimic postpartum depression. Even something as simple as a vitamin deficiency can cause a host of easily treatable symptoms. One woman who struggled for months with what appeared to be postpartum depression finally consulted a doctor and discovered she had a systemic yeast infection. Once treated, she returned to her “old self” within 2 weeks!
Of course, it is entirely possible to have an underlying medical issue along with a postpartum mood disorder. The only way to be sure is to rule out or treat anything that may be masquerading as such. Only then can you be sure that the treatment you receive is right for you.
For some great advice on getting a health care provider to pay attention to more than just your birth canal at your 6 week checkup or beyond, check out the Essential Mommy-Muse.com Toolkit.
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Mommy-Muse.com Favorites: This Week's Best Postpartum Depression Posts There is surprisingly good press right now about postpartum depression. The Today Show, New York Times and even the Wall Street Journal are all talking about it... Today Show Airs Story on Postpartum Depression - Postpartum Progress - Nice piece on "The Today Show"this morning about postpartum depression done by Darlene...... -
Fresh Serving of The Week's Best Postpartum Mood Disorder Posts! Here you go! A fresh serving of great blog posts from sister blogs around the web. I ALWAYS appreciate the first hand accounts of postpartum depression. They can go a long way toward helping new parents recognize and seek treatment for postpartum issues they might be struggling with. Dealing with...... -
Mommy-Muse.com Favorites: This Week's Postpartum Depression Blog Posts These bloggers have been hard at work bringing you excellent information while I was moving. Check out these links for empowering information and thought-provoking ideas on postpartum mood disorders: Postpartum Progress: Does Postpartum Depression Only Occur in the ... - I received the following email from a reader of Postpartum...... -
The Essential Mommy-Muse.com Toolkit Here"™s the inside scoop on my newly released e-book, The Essential Mommy-Muse.comTM Toolkit: 11 Empowering Keys for Your Journey into Motherhood. Mommy-Muse.comTM co-founder Linda Semrau and I realized we often share the same information time and time again with our clients. While each person"™s journey is unique, there are essential...... -
Unexpected Blessing on The Mommy-Muse Is In! Ready to hear from a courageous mother? Lauren Hale is a self-described "Survivor of Motherhood." So far, she's conquered Postpartum Obsessive Compulsive Disorder twice, Ante-partum Depression once, earned a NICU badge, and awakens daily thankful for the challenges that await her. Even if they include peanut butter covered children! Any......
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