How to fight depression during pregnancy?
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| Depression in pregnancy |
Feeling neglected while pregnant: how to combat depression?
While it is normal to feel some anxiety and worry during pregnancy, they should not become overwhelming. It is important to seek help when depression sets in and anxiety is paralyzing.
Prenatal depression is a depression similar to others, but its particularity is that it occurs during pregnancy. It is estimated that it affects about 10% of expectant mothers , but these figures are probably underestimated. Depression in pregnant women is still taboo and its diagnosis is difficult. It can have various causes, linked to the pregnancy itself but also to environmental and social factors specific to each woman. It is therefore not uncommon for women to feel neglected, overwhelmed, submerged during pregnancy.
Prenatal Depression: Recognizing the Signs
Karine Mayer, a psychologist specializing in PMA and perinatality, recommends paying attention to certain unusual symptoms . “ It is normal to have cravings during pregnancy and conversely to eat less if you have nausea or reflux, but a change in appetite without an apparent cause should alert you. As well as changes in sleep , if for example the mother-to-be sleeps more or less than usual, wakes up frequently during the night ,” she explains.
Other signs are more telling:
an ever-present feeling of sadness and despair
crying fits for which the reason cannot be identified
a lack of energy
more pleasure in doing the usual activities that the pregnant woman liked to do before.
What causes depression during pregnancy?
It is normal during pregnancy to feel an emotional upheaval , especially when it is a first pregnancy . But this will be more or less marked depending on the women and also depends on the circumstances. “Even if the pregnancy is desired and they are happy, women feel ambivalence , the change that is coming is scary, causes stress and this is normal. Wondering if you are going to be a good mother, if the child will be okay, being afraid of dying in childbirth, this is a more or less normal anxiety” , observes the psychologist. “But if these thoughts are too invasive, if this stress is too great, you should not hesitate to talk to the doctor or midwife” , she adds.
Is it normal to feel isolated when you are pregnant?
It happens that expectant mothers feel isolated during their pregnancy, either because those around them are not really present with them, or because they withdraw into themselves, feel overwhelmed and submerged by their emotions and in particular stress. A feeling of loneliness that can then be the breeding ground for prenatal depression. “A lot of psychological work takes place during pregnancy and it is necessary to become a mother. Being afraid is normal, but it must not become overwhelming ,” explains the psychologist.
The impact of the “mommy brain”
In her book entitled Mommy Brain: Discover the fabulous powers of mothers' brains!, Canadian researcher Jodi Pawluski shows the changes that the brain undergoes during pregnancy . “ There are stronger connections between certain areas of the brain. We lose gray matter, to remake connections in order to prepare for the arrival of the baby and this lasts until the child is 6 years old. In this context, where the brain is reorganizing, depression can develop further,” observes Karine Mayer.
Pregnant and depressed: what are the risk factors?
While all women can be affected by prenatal depression, certain factors can contribute to it. “For example, if the pregnant woman has experienced abuse during her childhood, if she lives in unfavorable social conditions , especially if she is isolated, has financial difficulties, lives in a context of family and social conflicts , ” explains Karine Mayer. The fact that the pregnancy is not wanted or that the future father is not present can also have an impact on the occurrence of depression.
“When the pregnancy is very difficult, when the pregnant woman has lost a child during a previous pregnancy during a miscarriage, when there is a suspicion of disability or illness of the unborn child, or even complications related to the health of the future mother, all of this can also play a role ,” adds the psychologist. Finally, women who have already experienced depression outside the context of pregnancy are more at risk of suffering from prenatal depression.
What does a baby feel in his mother's womb when she cries?
“It is very important not to blame women , crying during pregnancy or suffering from depression has no impact on the baby. The pregnant woman is not responsible if she is sick. And depression does not pass from brain to brain ,” reassures Karine Mayer.
The latter specifies, however, that the situation is more perilous when the young mother is depressed at the birth of the baby and is not able to build attachment bonds with her child or take care of him. “That is why it is very important to take care of yourself during pregnancy and not wait around thinking that things will get better afterwards,” recalls the psychologist.
Depression in pregnant women: when to worry and when to seek help?
Prenatal depression is associated with an increased risk of postpartum depression . Support is therefore essential during pregnancy. Psychological support is entirely possible, by choosing a psychologist who is familiar with the psychological situation of women during pregnancy.
“ Women can see a psychologist when it comes to mild to moderate depression. But if the depression is more severe, it is important to supplement with an appointment with a psychiatrist who can prescribe medication (anxiolytics, antidepressants),” concludes Karine Mayer.
