{"id":773106,"date":"2019-05-13T11:21:53","date_gmt":"2019-05-13T16:21:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.bumpboxes.com\/?p=773106"},"modified":"2020-02-24T14:19:50","modified_gmt":"2020-02-24T20:19:50","slug":"postpartum-anxiety-vs-postpartum-depression","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bumpboxes.com\/blog\/postpartum-anxiety-vs-postpartum-depression\/","title":{"rendered":"Postpartum Anxiety vs. Postpartum Depression"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and with more moms than ever discussing their experiences with postpartum depression<\/a>, those suffering won\u2019t feel quite as alone. Most women are familiar with postpartum depression, the overwhelming sadness that can hit after having a baby. And although you\u2019re bound to be physically and emotionally exhausted after becoming a new mom, what\u2019s considered a normal state after having a baby? Do you feel like yourself? Here\u2019s the bad news: you could be suffering from the baby blues, postpartum depression (PPD) OR postpartum anxiety (PPA), a close relative of PPD. The upside? There\u2019s treatment for all three of them, you just have to know what you\u2019re dealing with. This guide goes over postpartum anxiety vs. postpartum depression, and what you can do to weather the storm and thrive as a new mom. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 
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What is Postpartum Anxiety?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Are you a new mom who feels a little off since giving birth? Do you find yourself worrying constantly and unable to focus on much of anything? Are you restless, having trouble sleeping and feeling irritable all the time? If you\u2019re already aware of postpartum depression and your symptoms don\u2019t seem to fit that, you may be suffering from postpartum anxiety. Postpartum anxiety disorder affects about 10 percent of new moms, according to the American Pregnancy Association. It\u2019s considered a cousin of postpartum depression and unfortunately, it can go undiagnosed because it\u2019s lacking the standard symptoms that raise the depression red flag. Unlike PPD, which causes mothers overwhelming sadness and a loss of interest in their own newborn, postpartum anxiety manifests mainly in the form of chronic worry. Moms have described it as feeling constantly worried and on edge. You lose your normal sense of balance and calm with postpartum anxiety. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  
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Baby Blues, Postpartum Anxiety or Postpartum Depression, Which Is It?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The baby blues is usually marked as a short-term sadness after having a baby and lasts typically no more than two weeks. Postpartum depression results in full-blown depression-like symptoms, which can include sadness, a lack of interest in your baby or your everyday life activities, excessive sleep, etc. Postpartum anxiety, then, causes chronic worry, changes in eating and sleeping, dizziness, hot flashes, rapid heartbeat and nausea. You may also find yourself tired all the time, unable to sit still or focus on a particular task. Because postpartum depression is talked about more and is the most recognizable of the three conditions, postpartum anxiety can go unnoticed for a lot of women. And it\u2019s actually more common for women to experience postpartum anxiety. Researchers from the University of Heidelberg in Germany tracked 1,024 women during the first three months after giving birth and found that more than 11 percent experienced postpartum anxiety disorders, while 6 percent developed postpartum depression symptoms. They also found that about half of the women who had PPD also had anxiety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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How You Can Develop Postpartum Anxiety<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Usually these types of disorders happen after you\u2019ve given birth but 25 to 35 percent of postpartum anxiety cases begin during pregnancy. And while symptoms usually show up shortly after giving birth, you can also have a stressful event trigger PPA months later. What makes postpartum anxiety particularly difficult is that anxiety is a natural response to a big event such as bringing a baby into the world. What if the baby suffocates? What if she goes under water during a bath? What if someone kidnaps her? These mind-racing thoughts are all normal and part of the experience that is motherhood. For most moms, they are easily dismissable.  
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On the other hand, if you find your worries are irrational, like you need to hold your baby 24\/7 or if everyday situations such as driving somewhere with your baby lead to panic attacks or an inability to function, you may be dealing with postpartum anxiety. What causes postpartum anxiety? A few things. For starters, your body has experienced a huge hormonal shift\u2015estrogen and progesterone levels increase 10 to 100 percent during pregnancy and then fall to zero within 24 hours of delivery. You\u2019re also dealing with sleep deprivation, changes to your relationship and round-the-clock care of a newborn. On top of that, society tells you that it\u2019s the happiest time of your life and you should just \u201cinstinctively know\u201d what to do. All of those pressures and changes can cause a lot of women to come unglued. Any new mom can develop postpartum anxiety but those with a personal or family history of anxiety or depression as well as moms who\u2019ve experienced a miscarriage are all somewhat more susceptible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 
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How Do You Treat Postpartum Anxiety? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s one very important thing to note when it comes to postpartum anxiety: it doesn\u2019t always go away on its own. If left untreated, it can stick with you indefinitely. It\u2019s crucial to seek help if your sleep is disrupted or you\u2019re constantly worrying. In mild cases, just having someone to talk to or help with taking care of your baby can make a big difference. If the overwhelm never seems to let up, it may be time to talk with your ob-gyn for a therapy referral. Look for therapists who are experts with perinatal mood disorders or that specialize in cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps change the thought and behavior patterns associated with anxiety. They may also suggest you try breathing exercises, meditation and mindfulness techniques, which help you remain in the present moment rather than letting your mind drift into future \u201cworst case\u201d scenarios with your baby. Exercise and getting fresh air can also do wonders for women who are suffering from postpartum anxiety.   
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Whatever the course of treatment, it\u2019s important to remember that you are normal. This isn\u2019t about your ability to be a good mom to your baby. Postpartum anxiety and postpartum depression can be overcome with time and the right treatment. When you\u2019re doing the best that you can as a mom, there\u2019s no reason to think this is just a short blip in an otherwise happy and exciting time in your life.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Join the other 1,000,000+ expecting mamas who love Bump Boxes.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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May is Mental Health Awareness Month and with more moms than ever discussing their experiences with postpartum depression, those suffering won\u2019t feel quite as alone. Most women are familiar with postpartum depression, the overwhelming sadness that can hit after having a baby. And although you\u2019re bound to be physically and emotionally exhausted after becoming a…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":773107,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[484,476,481,462,464,482],"tags":[513,2741,104,3025,2677,224,2742,225],"class_list":["post-773106","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wellness-mental-health","category-motherhood","category-motherhood-postpartum","category-pregnancy","category-pregnancy-symptoms","category-wellness","tag-anxiety","tag-depression","tag-postpartum","tag-postpartum-anxiety","tag-postpartum-body","tag-postpartum-depression","tag-prenatal-depression","tag-the-baby-blues"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nPostpartum Anxiety vs. Postpartum Depression : Bump Boxes Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Feeling off after baby? 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