Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
ABSTRACT
The voices of women suffering from postpartum depression are often silent. Women are reluctant to
reveal to others that they are unhappy after the birth of their babies. Much has been written on pos-
sible causes, risk factors, and treatments for postpartum depression, but little has been done to in-
vestigate why women take so long to seek help. Early detection and treatment are key to a full
recovery. Childbirth educators are in the position to offer anticipatory guidance on possible compli-
cations of the postpartum period, including postpartum depression. This article explores why women
with postpartum depression choose to suffer in silence and suggests how childbirth educators can help
new mothers find their voices.
Pregnancy, the postpartum period, and parenting may be a time of high vulnerability for women, cou-
present a multitude of challenges for many women pled with feelings of loss of control. Tremendous
and their partners. Findings from the Listening to changes occur in the mother’s interpersonal and fa-
Mothers II survey demonstrate that many new moth- milial world. The birth of a new baby is expected to
ers experience a variety of physical and emotional be a joyful milestone in a woman’s life, but that is
symptoms after birth (Declercq, Sakala, Corry, & not always the case. Some women experience minor
Applebaum, 2006). Survey results found that ‘‘im- adjustment issues, and others experience a grave
proving the knowledge and skills of childbearing and debilitating mood disorder, known as postpar-
women’’ (p. 14) must be a priority, in addition to tum depression. More than half of the women with
providing reliable and trustworthy maternity care. PPD go undetected and undiagnosed because the
new mother may be unwilling to reveal how she
POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION is feeling to her provider or close family members,
Pregnancy, labor, and birth are perhaps the most including her spouse (Beck, 2006). She may be
significant life experiences that a woman and her embarrassed by her symptoms, or afraid that, if
partner will encounter. It is a time of extreme phys- revealed, she will be institutionalized and separated
ical and emotional transition with intense hor- from her baby (Kennedy, Beck, & Driscoll, 2002).
monal, psychological, and biological changes, all Postpartum depression occurs in approximately
of which can have an effect on the central nervous 13% of new mothers (Gaynes et al., 2005; O’Hara &
system (Studd & Panay, 2004). The puerperium Swain, 1996). It is usually detected between 2 and 6
Doulas...
Caring and Sharing
at the Heart of Birth
Science & Sensibility
A Research Blog About Healthy
Pregnancy, Birth & Beyond
Contact us at
(800) 368-4404 or
info@lamaze.org.
PO Box 626 • Jasper, IN 47547
www.DONA.org • info@DONA.org
888-788-DONA (3662)