While postpartum depression (PPD) can have a deleterious effect on the mother, it also has very negative effects on the newborn baby. These problems can crop up at any point during the pregnancy or afterward. Because any health problems that affect the mother also will have consequences for the child – either prior to birth or afterward – the stakes are high in effectively treating PPD.

The effects of depression on pregnancy start even before the child is born. Depression affects the health of the mother, often meaning she does not eat as well or take as good care of herself as she might otherwise. As such, depression has been linked to low birth weights and poor health in infants.

Isolation

Once the baby is born, the stresses on the mother only increase. The experience of childbirth itself is quite taxing and the mother has little time to recover before the daily duties of caring for the child take over her life. As a result, she can feel isolated and alone, particularly if she has a poor support system or is a single mother. Depression in all its forms can cause a sense of apathy and lack of interest in the aspects of daily life normally seen as important. When this comes to caring for a newborn child, that lack of interest or attention can be devastating.

Further, the mother experiencing these feelings likely will be wondering why she is not experiencing the joy she expected at having a baby. This can lead to unwarranted feelings of guilt and doubts that she is a good mother. Such self-doubt can further drive her into a deeper depression.

Serious Psychosis

Milder forms of depression, such as postpartum blues, usually are seen within a few days of childbirth and may last for one or two weeks. However, serious PPD can take several months to develop, making it more difficult to spot or recognize. Beyond that, PPD also can develop into postpartum psychosis, a dangerous condition that could require hospitalization.

This condition can have deadly consequences for both the mother and child. Some women experience delusions that make them believe their baby is God or the devil. With such a psychosis, although very rare, 4 percent of the time the mother is likely to harm her baby or herself, experts say.

info@knowpostpartum.com