5 Ways to Help Prevent And Treat Postpartum Depression

The other night I had the opportunity to attend a special event at my church. Once a month all of the ladies get together and we do something fun! I am grateful I had the opportunity to attend last night and I am excited to share with you today what I learned.

We had a special guest come and speak to us about Postpartum Depression. He is a well-educated doctor who I love and respect so much. I took a few notes during the discussion and walked away feeling uplifted and wanting to share with you 5 ways to help prevent and treat postpartum depression.

Having a baby is SO exciting! It is a life-changing event that completely affects you mentally and physically. Our bodies go through a pretty crazy, but absolutely amazing and truly miraculous thing. Carrying a baby for 9 months is hard. Gaining weight, stretch marks, morning sickness, afternoon sickness, night sickness, high blood pressure, Braxton hicks, contractions, back-ache, you ladies know…the list goes on and on.

Having a baby is the 3^rd most stressful event that can happen in someone’s life.  It can be scary and overbearing. It can be complicated and nerve racking. With all of this stress it is easy to fall and become depressed. Your body has gone through so much, you are up every 2 hours and you are taking care of another human being!

To help prevent and treat Postpartum Depression I encourage you to follow these 5 steps:

1.    TAKE TIME FOR YOU: This was something I had a hard time with after having Laila. I wanted to be with her ALWAYS! I could not leave her sight. I remember my mom staying with us when she was first born and I would take a 5 minute shower and hop right out to yell down the stairs, “Is she okay?!” My mom would always reply, “Yes. She is still sleeping.” I could barely even be away from her for 5 minutes! It is so important for you to take time for yourself. Leave the baby with his/her dad, take a warm bath, read a book, go out to lunch, have a girls night, go to a movie, work on a craft. Do something you love and take some time for yourself. It is SO healthy and completely necessary.

2.    GO OUTSIDE: I have always loved going outside and getting some sun. There is something that feels SO good about sitting outside and letting the rays hit your body. It is so important to get outside and enjoy the fresh air! Sit on your porch, go to the pool, take a drive…get out there!

3.    WORK ON SELF IMPROVEMENT/HOBBY: Do you love painting? Crafting? Singing? Working out? Blogging? DO IT! Do what you love and work on it. I love that we can always improve. I think I felt like before I had Laila, that my life was going to completely end and I would have no time to do anything for ME.  I have learned how important it is for me to work on my own improvement. As I work on things that I can do better, I have become a better mom for her. I am happier, full of energy and learning every day.

4.    MEDICATION AND/OR COUNSELOR: If depression gets bad, I encourage you to seek help. Medication is a good thing. A Counselor is a good thing. I think sometimes people are in denial or nervous to hear a doctor’s or counselor’s opinion. I know they can help us through the hardest times and help pick us up to become whole again.

5.    TALK ABOUT IT : My dear friend who suffered from postpartum depression raised her hand and said that when she went through this, she just wanted to talk about it. She wanted someone to listen and she wanted to feel like she wasn’t alone. Don’t we all just want someone to talk to sometimes? We are girls! We need to talk it out! Sometimes it is important for us just to vent and get our feelings out. That can make us feel so much better!

If you suffer from postpartum depression, know that you are not alone! You are not weird or crazy. You are not different or wrong. I want you to know there is always help and always a way to get better. I know that if we follow these 5 steps, we will see the light at the end of the tunnel and things will get better. Our love for our children will grow. Our love for our husbands will grow. Our love for ourselves will grow.  And we will feel God’s love in our lives more than ever.

“That love never changes. … It is there for you when you are sad or happy, discouraged or hopeful. God’s love is there for you whether or not you feel you deserve it. It is simply always there.” – President Thomas S. Monson