Help for Postpartum Depression

Treatment options for mothers with postpartum depression and how to get help

Jan 25, 2007

There are many treatment options for mothers who experience postpartum depression including medication and counseling, in addition to alternative therapies.

The good news is that postpartum depression (PPD) is considered to be 100% treatable. The bad news is that often mothers are in denial that they have it or are unaware of symptoms and attribute it to new mother exhaustion. A good rule of thumb is that if you don't feel better by two to three weeks after your baby is born, it is unlikely you will get better without help.

Step One in Treatment for PPD

A very common scenario is that a new mother tries to cope with PPD on her own for several weeks or months. She may be telling herself that she needs more sleep, to eat better, etc. At some point, maybe after a particularly bad day, it dawns on her that she is indeed getting worse instead of better. Sometimes at this point, her symptoms are so acute that she feels desperate for help.

If this describes you or someone you know, it is a good idea to contact your medical provider. This can be any medical provider who can prescribe medication such as a family doctor, your obstetrician or certified nurse-midwife, nurse practitioner. They can often start you on a dose of anti-depressants if your symptoms are moderate to severe.

Be sure to inform your medical provider if you are breastfeeding since some medication is safer to use in conjunction with breastfeeding than others.

Step Two in Treatment for PPD

If you have started a dose of medication and it is working, you might not need any help beyond this. It is best to follow-up with a mental health professional after this, however, so that the dose of medication you are on can be regulated and adjusted to fit your needs.

Alternative Treatments for PPD

If your symptoms are mild or if you feel that you need additional help along with medication, alternative treatments can help. These include the following:

1. Counseling - research shows that counseling reduces and may even prevent PPD in some cases. Find a therapist who is familiar with PPD issues.

2. Support Groups - some of these may exist in your area. To get help, visit Postpartum Support International for more information.

3. Estrogen therapy/patch - some mothers find that this treatment, which is designed to relieve menopausal symptoms, also helps to stabilize their postpartum mood swings. Find out more about this from your health care provider.

4. Acupuncture - although this therapy is not typically a "cure" for PPD, it can help mothers to cope with their symptoms. Find a practioner familiar with issues of PPD.

5. Light therapy - often used for chronic depression sufferers, light therapy may be used to complement other methods for treatment of PPD.

6. Omega 3 fatty acids - a pillot study has shown promising results from supplementing the mother's diet with this fatty acid found in fish.

7. Carbohydrate rich diet - some researchers have recommended a carb rich diet as a possible treatment to use in conjunction with other methods described above.

The copyright of the article Help for Postpartum Depression in Pregnancy & Childbirth is owned by Brenda Lane. Permission to republish Help for Postpartum Depression in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.