Postpartum Depression Research Paper

There are about a million and one “firsts” in a person’s life, and as a parent you dream and plan about all of your child’s firsts. You dream about your baby’s first steps, first day of school, the first tooth they’ll lose, the first time you take them Disney World, and so on until they die seventy-some years later. The problem is, most of the “firsts” in a child’s life happen weeks, even years after the baby is born. When a baby is born, some moms experience postpartum depression (PPD), which is caused by low hormonal levels. For some people, depression only lasts for a couple days, for some it can lasts weeks, months and if left untreated, years. About 950,000 women suffer from PPD, and the symptoms get more detrimental the longer the
One red flag that PPD could occur after you give birth would be an earlier history of depression. Dr. Zachary Stowe of Pregnancy and Postpartum Mood Disorders Program at Emory University in Atlanta, says "Doctors can detect the most vulnerable women early and prevent the illness before it strikes.” When symptoms are detected, there are several ways of treatment. Ninety percent of women who receive treatment, are successful in overcoming their depression. There are several forms of treatment, including medication, psychotherapy, or even support groups. If the case of postpartum depression is very serious or extremely life-threatening, infrequent electroconvulsive therapy can be used. It is recommended to seek out treatment as soon as possible, because left undiscovered the severity of the condition may become worse. While being treated, it is normal to see improvement from month to month, and symptom flare ups from time to time in response to hormonal
Mothers who suffer from postpartum depression have trouble bonding with their children, and that can create resentment from the child toward the mother. The child is very likely to develop angry or negative coping habits from lack of attention or affection. When the mom is depressed, the kid is at a greater risk to have higher levels of physiological stress, and can hinder the child’s development of social engagements and skills, along with physiological reactivity. Children with parents, especially mothers, who are ignored or pushed aside and not given attention struggle with establishing social competence. There are several celebrities that have openly talked about their battle with postpartum depression. They include Hayden Panettiere, who says that she didn’t have thoughts about hurting her baby, but didn’t want to take her chances of getting to that point, so she sought out professional help. Another notable actress that had a skirmish with PPD was Courteney Cox. She says that her case of PPD was caused by a huge plummet in her hormone