How to prevent/deal with postnatal depression

🌟 Exciting Announcement! Join me, Lilian Ong, Director and Registered Counsellor at Wellness Journey Pte Ltd, for a vital #AskTheExpert session on theAsianparent app! 🎉 📣 Topic: "How to Prevent/Deal with Postnatal Depression?" 🗓️ Date: 19th July 2023 🕒 Time: 8pm to 9pm Together, we will explore strategies and support systems that can make a positive difference in your well-being as a new mother. 📝 I request you to share any questions or concerns you may have about postnatal depression in the comments section below. 🔔 Save the date and mark your calendars for this invaluable session. 💕 Your mental health matters, and together, we can nurture a joyful and fulfilling motherhood experience! Warm regards, Lilian Ong Director / Registered Counsellor, Wellness Journey Pte Ltd

How to prevent/deal with postnatal depression
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How can sleep deprivation contribute to postnatal depression, and what measures can be undertaken to address it?

1y ago

For most people, not having enough sleep can make us grumpy, irritable, unable to focus... it just does not feel good when we're tired yet baby still requires ongoing care. So this can lead to a spiral especially when you don't know when is the next chance to catch up on your sleep! To prevent this, work out some sort of a shift system with your partner and whoever is able to chip in for the first few months. So each of you get to sleep properly for at least 4 - 5 hours.

Can you provide any real life examples where seeking help made a significant difference in a mother's recovery?

1y ago

80% of women with PND recover fully with treatment. The remaining 20% might still have ongoing challenges due to long term stressors, or they might have strong family history of mental health conditions. Nevertheless, with continued treatment and support, they can function reasonably well even when not fully recovered. Here's one of the many cases we helped while I was working in KKH previously https://www.todayonline.com/daily-focus/health/some-women-stork-also-delivers-blues

How high is my risk of postnatal depression if I was formally diagnosed with major depressive disorder?

1y ago

It's hard to say just based on this, cos it also depends on your postnatal situation, how stressful it is and how you are coping. HIgher than someone who did not have depression before, everything else equal. More useful to think about what you have learned from your previous depressive episode, like what triggers your mood changes, what are your signs of depression, what helped you to recover.

Are there any local organizations or online communities mothers can connect facing similar challenges?

1y ago

yes for mothers mental health, you may consider this group in part of https://www.facebook.com/groups/newmothersmentalhealth/?ref=share&mibextid=NSMWBT

What impact does postnatal depression have on a mother’s overall mental and emotional well-being?

1y ago

PND can affect the mood, mental focus, decision-making, sleep, appetite, energy, outlook on life. When left untreated, can be detrimental to the mother's self-esteem and overall functioning, may continue to general and chronic depression beyond the postnatal period. Untreated PND tends to affect family relationships too, because our mental and emotional well-being influence the way we interact and respond to people.

Are there any strategies or coping mechanisms you can suggest to help balance work and motherhood?

1y ago

Being clear on your values, what really matters. Everything can seem important and we want to do our best in everything, but the reality is our time/energy will be limited. So we have to be clear on what really matters and let go of some expectations, otherwise it's just too much pressure.

How can partners and family members support a mother who’s suffering from postpartum depression?

1y ago

Equip yourself with accurate information, learn how to respond to emotions, how to encourage by journeying alongside rather than giving advice and solutions. Attend dr's visits together so you show that you are in this as a team, don't make her feel like she is the one with the problem.

Are there any specific cultural or societal factors that contribute to postpartum depression?

1y ago

Also, when society talks about "mother's instinct" or other descriptions such as "love at first sight with baby" suggesting mothers should know what to do or there's a right way of how you should be feeling. These can also give unnecessary pressure to new mothers. In reality, a lot of things we do as parents comes from "on the job" learning, taking time to observe and understand each child, what works what doesn't work. Love also comes in many different forms, it's not always felt strongly from the start.

What are some self-help techniques that can be used to cope with postpartum depression?

1y ago

Identify unhelpful thought patterns, practise reframing to more balanced / helpful thoughts. Practise self-compassion, i.e. be kind to yourself. Stay with the present moment, refrain from dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. Well, seems easier said than done. So this is more for prevention or milder forms of depression, but if you are already going through moderate to severe depression it's hard to find the motivation to do this on your own. Get help.

Can postnatal depression occur even if a woman has no history of mental health issues?

1y ago

yes it can. When the stress levels are higher than the amount of support + internal resources (how you cope, your beliefs and expectations etc)