Children of Depression

Doctors say nearly 80 percent of women experience some sort of “baby blues” after giving birth, and up to 20 percent of new mothers experience postpartum depression. Many women don’t seek treatment because they don’t realize how common the problem is and they feel ashamed or confused about their feelings. Here are some women who say not getting help may be far worse for your newborn than you realize.

A new addition to the family is supposed to bring happiness and joy. So when new mom Melissa Galipeau found herself crying all the time, neither she nor her partner, Henry, understood why. “He would say, ‘Why are you crying?' and I would say, ‘I just don’t know.' I thought I was going crazy,” Melissa tells Ivanhoe.

“You expect it to be difficult, but you don’t expect it to be a karate chop and that’s what it felt like,” says psychologist Margaret Howard, Ph.D., of the Postpartum Disorders Day Hospital at Woman & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island. She says the first step is to recognize you’re not feeling like yourself and get help. “Depression is very treatable. That’s the goods news," Howard says.

New research shows getting help is just as important for your child’s health as it is for yours. British researchers say depressed moms are more likely to have violent kids and American doctors find offspring of depressed moms are twice as likely to be depressed themselves.

Psychiatrist Victoria Hendrick, M.D., of the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute, says all depressed moms, including those breast-feeding, should attempt therapy or group support first, but if that doesn’t work, proceed with anti-depressants. She says untreated depression may be more harmful to an infant than anti-depressants. “Depression in the mother can affect the quality of breast milk,” Hendrick says.

Melissa used therapy and relaxation techniques. “I smile, which is something I was unable to do for a while. I’m more upbeat,” she says. And now she says she’s able to enjoy the miracle of her daughter.

Dr. Howard says there is a lot of societal pressure after a woman has a baby for her to be happy and full of joy and bliss. She says this keeps many women from talking about their depression or seeking treatment. She advises new moms to learn to recognize when they need a break from the baby. She says just taking a walk or meeting a friend for a cup of tea can do wonders for your spirits.

This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.