Postpartum Depression
It's natural to feel strong emotions when you're pregnant and just after you've had a baby. You may feel elated or you may feel sad. Many people experience the "baby blues" just after birth, making them feel sad, impatient or irritable. These feelings usually go away in a week or two. They don't always need to be treated by a healthcare provider.
However, for some postpartum patients, feelings of sadness are much more intense. These intense feelings are called postpartum depression (PPD). Postpartum depression can be treated with medication and counseling. Symptoms include:
- “Blue” or “down” mood: having feelings of tearfulness/hopelessness or feeling empty inside
- Anxiety or agitated feelings
- Loss of pleasure in either all or most of your daily activities
- Appetite and weight changes: usually a drop in appetite and weight, but sometimes the opposite
- Sleeping problems: usually trouble with sleeping, even when your baby is sleeping
- Noticeable change in how you walk and talk: can be restlessness or sluggishness
- Extreme fatigue or loss of energy
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
- Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
- Thoughts about death or suicide: possible fleeting, frightening, or fearful thoughts of harming yourself or your baby
- Physical symptoms may include rapid heartbeat, dizziness/shakiness, chest pain, headaches, breathlessness or numbness
If you’re experiencing the symptoms listed above and they persist longer than two weeks, are getting worse, make it difficult for you to care for yourself or baby or include thoughts of harming yourself or baby, contact your provider immediately.
Summa Health’s behavioral health team can help mothers find their way through their feelings, fears and concerns. A behavioral health specialist focuses on:
- Assessing the patient's current emotional health situations
- Monitoring the progress or setbacks
- Self-evaluating historic and current risk factors
- Education regarding the psychological and physical impact of postpartum depression on children and families
- Learning concrete tools to help minimize the potential negative impact of postpartum depression
Resources
If you having a medical or psychological emergency and feel that you may cause harm to yourself or someone else, please call 9-1-1 or Portage Path Emergency Services at 330.762.6110.
For immediate assistance:
- Portage Path Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES): 330.762.6110
- Offers a free, confidential 24/7 support hotline providing crisis intervention and supportive listening to help callers manager their crisis. Trained professionals provide a safe space to talk about problems such as depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, loneliness, interpersonal problems, financial issues and more.
- National Maternal Health Hotline: Call or Text 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1.833.852.6262)
- A free, confidential service that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in English, Spanish and more than 60 other languages. They offer support and information, before, during and post pregnancy.
- National Suicide Prevention Hotline: Call, text or chat 9-8-8
- You will be connected to a trained counselor who can provide support and connect you to additional resources if necessary. Support is free, confidential and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week across the United States.
Additional support
- National Postpartum Depression Hotline: (800) PPD-MOMS (800.773.6667)
- Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Summa Health Behavioral Health Institute: 330.379.8190
- Call for more information on postpartum support services and other behavioral health services.
- Summa Health Women’s Health Center: 330.375.4844
- If you are a patient of the Women’s Health Center, please call the office for more information on postpartum support and behavioral health services.