Essential Tips for Mothers to Safeguard Their Mental Wellbeing
The blood volume in your body increases by around 30-50%. Your body’s BMR or Basic Metabolism Rate increases by almost 25%. The increase in progesterone hormone in your blood might slow down your digestion. [1]
Preparing to welcome a new life is exciting. The nine months’ journey is one of the most nostalgic moments in a mother’s life.
But at the same time, it is also equally vital that you understand that this is period of profound change. Pregnant mothers undergo a host of significant physiological and mental changes to support the new fetus.
The increased levels of health awareness and medical support has helped medics provide therapeutic support to address the physiological changes, however, the mental wellbeing of pregnant mothers often gets ignored.
In this article, we shall discuss:
- Psychological Changes Taking Place during Pregnancy
- Baby Blues Vs Post-partum depression vs Post-partum psychosis
- Prevention and Treatment
- Tips for Pregnant Mothers to Maintain Mental Wellbeing
1. Psychological Changes Taking Place during Pregnancy
According to the International Forum for Mental Wellbeing in Pregnancy, mothers undergo several emotional changes in pregnancy resulting from a combination of factors such as emotional fluctuations, external re-organization, internal re-organization, and pregnancy-related anxiety.
Emotional feelings during pregnancy include a combination of both positive feelings such as excitement and joy, as well as negative ones like disbelief and anxiety. The changes depend on a host of factors ranging from the pregnancy trimester to family situation and lifestyle. [2,3]
Some of the most common psychological changes taking during pregnancy include:
- Mood swings
- Anxiety and Depression
- Fatigue
- Sleep deprivation
- Ambivalence.
Among these psychological changes, depression and anxiety are the most common health problems in pregnancy, which if left unaddressed can result in different health ailments.
2. Difference between Baby Blues Vs Post-partum depression Vs Post-partum psychosis
After childbirth, mothers often experience mood swings and feelings of anxiety, frustration, exhaustion and insomnia. This generally begins within 48 hours of delivery, and can last up to 1 or 2 weeks after you give birth.
This temporary, and mild-form of mold swings are termed as baby blues.
While the exact cause of baby blues still remains unclear, researchers point out to the hormonal changes as the reason behind this. Baby blues are often considered as a mild, and least severe form of perinatal depression that goes away as the hormonal levels of estrogen and progesterone stabilize.
According to the American Pregnancy Association, almost 70-80% of the all new mothers experience some form of baby blues. [4] The most common symptoms of baby blues include crying for no apparent reason, impatience, irritability, restlessness, insomnia, fatigue, anxiety, and mood changes.
If the symptoms of baby blues extend over 2 weeks, then the condition is termed as post-partum depression.
According to the American Psychiatric Association [5], these are the symptoms of perinatal depression:
• Feeling sad or having a depressed mood
• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
• Changes in appetite
• Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
• Loss of energy or increased fatigue
• Increase in purposeless physical activity or slowed movements or speech
• Feeling worthless or guilty
• Difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions
• Thoughts of death or suicide
• Crying for “no reason”
• Lack of interest in the baby, not feeling bonded to the baby, or feeling anxious around baby.
• Feelings of being a bad mother
• Fear of harming the baby or oneself
Some mothers experience a more severe form of post-partum depression referred to as post-partum psychosis. It is quite uncommon and is seen in only about 2 out of 1000 cases. [5]
Symptoms of post-partum psychosis include some disturbing symptoms like:
- Auditory or visual hallucinations.
- Delusions
- Thoughts about harming your baby.
- Suicidal thoughts
3. Prevention and Treatment
While baby blues are common in pregnant women, and it is always in your best interests to take care of your mental health, especially in the period of paradigm change.
Here are some things you can do to take care of your mental health during this period:
- Eating, a balanced and health diet is one of the key steps you can take to minimize your chances of Post-Partum Depression. Studies have shown that healthy food habits showed an inverse relationship with maternal depression, while deficiency of calcium, iron, and folate were associated with maternal depression. Prenatal and early postpartum eating attitudes and BMI were found as predictors of depressive symptoms in the late post-partum period in a diet behavior. [6] According to the American Pregnancy Association, adequate amounts of Omega-3-fatty acids are also considered vital for preventing baby blues. [7]
- Being conscious about your lifestyle such as practicing meditation, getting regular exercise, and getting 7 to 8 hours of sound sleep is vital to maintaining good mental health.
- Talking with someone that you trust, and sharing your feeling with your loved ones is also important to help you deal. It is also a good idea to tell yourself that mood swings and sad thoughts are common in this period, and you should not stress too much.
- Anti-depressants drugs such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are also normally prescribed during perinatal depression, but it is always advisable to seek medical guidance before taking any medication, especially since it can endanger your and your child’s health. [5]
Conclusion
Pregnancy is a moment to cherish. It is a time when you undergo several changes both at physical and psychological level. While it is normal to witness mood swings and feel anxiety, it is essential that you seek support if you feel any form of discomfort. Ignoring your mental health can lead to perinatal depression, which can be harmful for the mother’s and baby’s wellbeing both in the short and long-term.
References:
1. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.114.009029
2. https://www.ifwip.org/psychological-changes-during-pregnancy/
3.Bjelica A, Cetkovic N, Trninic-Pjevic A, Mladenovic-Segedi L. The phenomenon of pregnancy – a psychological view. Ginekol Pol. 2018;89(2):102-106. doi: 10.5603/GP.a2018.0017. PMID: 29512815.
4. https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/first-year-of-life/baby-blues/
5. https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/peripartum-depression/what-is-peripartum-depression
6. Deng, Y., Li, L., Liu, Z., Zhang, J., & Zhang, T. (2021). Title of the article. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), Page range. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dic.2020.10.006
8. Van Niel MS, Payne JL. Perinatal depression: A review. Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine. 2020 May;87(5):273-277. DOI: 10.3949/ccjm.87a.19054. PMID: 32357982.
9. Stuart-Parrigon, K., Stuart, S. Perinatal Depression: An Update and Overview. Curr Psychiatry Rep 16, 468 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-014-0468-6
10. Rogers A, Obst S, Teague SJ, Rossen L, Spry EA, Macdonald JA, Sunderland M, Olsson CA, Youssef G, Hutchinson D. Association Between Maternal Perinatal Depression and Anxiety and Child and Adolescent Development: A Meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatr. 2020 Nov 1;174(11):1082-1092. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.2910. PMID: 32926075; PMCID: PMC7490743.
