Best answer:

Answer by Lanie
Yes it can affect bonding with the child among many other things. If her mother has a history of depression she may be at more risk for getting the postpartum depression, but it doesn’t mean that she will get it for sure. Usually if a woman gets postpartum depression, it hits by now. Usually the baby blues you get after birth of a child just don’t go away and it stadily gets worse. If that sounds like her, offer to get her some help.

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Answer by Yummy Mummy
Sounds about right.

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Answer by .
When you name your baby shiiit like “tyler” or “robin”

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Answer by natalia
http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/women/pregnancy/ppd/general/379.html

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Answer by shadowtalker1
The signs of PPD can range from non-stop crying to a total lack of emotion. It can also show up as a resentment toward the child and/or spouse or a feeling of being completely overwhelmed, angry, detached, etc. It really is a complex thing and goes far beyond just feeling really “weepy” every now and again.

Essentially, if you think you have PPD, please talk to your ob/gyn about it. They’re trained to handle it and trust me – you are not the first woman they’ve helped.

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In postnatal syndrome, the feeling of any unwanted happening or negative thoughts surrounds the woman which keeps her uneasy. These situations develops a negative though or feeling for her own baby who has nothing to do with these thoughts. But, the syndrome makes the woman feel that the baby is responsible for these thoughts which creates a gap between the mother and the child. This is a kind of depression which is needs care and cure to get rid of it. In such cases, the major symptoms of depression are hatred towards the child and uneasiness.

The treatment for this syndrome is not a difficult thing. It can be cured with the help of medication. Apart from it, emotional support is also necessary as it helps in relaxing the mind and gaining self confidence. You need to have the support of your family while dealing with depression. This is the best supplement which you should have with your medicines. Also, you need to feel the motherhood for your child which will help in developing an emotional bond between both of you. Expert doctors, who are treating such cases, can help you with medication so that you may get a proper treatment and get well soon from postnatal syndrome. Don’t forget, it is essential to have emotional support with medication to get out of the effects of postnatal syndrome.

Pregnant women who take DHA fish oil capsules during pregnancy do not reduce their risk of developing post-natal depression, nor do the supplements have any effect on the baby’s cognitive and language development during early childhood, researchers from the Women’s and Children’s Health Research Institute, Adelaide, Australia, reported in an article published in the medical journal JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association). Dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is often recommended to pregnant women as a way of enhancing their offspring’s intelligence as well as protecting from subsequent post-natal depression (postpartum depression). In fact, previous studies have suggested so.

The authors wrote:

“Epidemiological investigations from the United States and Europe demonstrate that higher intakes of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) from fish and seafood during pregnancy are associated with a reduced risk of depressive symptoms in the postnatal period, as well as improved developmental outcomes in the offspring. However, n-3 LCPUFA intervention trials in human pregnancy have reported mixed results and have not been conclusive largely because of methodological limitations”

Apparently, previous trials which looked at cognitive and language development outcomes in children were small and had high drop-out rates.

The investigators add:

“Despite the paucity of evidence, recommendations exist to increase intake of DHA in pregnancy, and the nutritional supplement industry successfully markets prenatal supplements with DHA to optimize brain function of mother and infant. Before DHA supplementation in pregnancy becomes widespread, it is important to know not only if there are benefits, but also of any risks for either the mother or child.”

Maria Makrides, B.Sc., B.N.D., Ph.D. and team carried out a randomized, multi-center trial to determine whether DHA fish oil supplements during the latter half of pregnancy had any effect on the risk of developing postpartum depression, as well as enhancing cognitive development of the baby during their first years. 2,399 females less than 21-weeks pregnant were recruited at 5 maternity hospitals in Australia between October 2005 and January 2008. By the end of December 2009 a total of 726 children were followed-up. The pregnant women had received 800 mg/d of DHA fish oil capsules or equivalent vegetable oil capsules with no DHA up to the day of childbirth. 96.7% of the women completed the course of capsules.

The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was used to gauge levels of maternal depression, and the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development were utilized to measure cognitive and language development of the offspring.

9.67% of the DHA group and 11.19% of the control (vegetable non DHA capsules) group reported high levels of depressive symptoms – not a significant difference. There was no significant difference between either group regarding a new medical diagnosis for depression during the trial, or diagnosis requiring treatment (while taking the capsules).

The children’s cognitive scores were the same in both groups as were language development scores. Measurements of motor development and social-emotional behavior were similar in both groups.

The researchers wrote:

“Current recommendations suggest that pregnant women increase their dietary DHA to improve their health outcomes as well as those of their children. Such recommendations are increasingly being adopted with women taking prenatal supplements with DHA. However, the results of [this trial] do not support routine DHA supplementation for pregnant women to reduce depressive symptoms or to improve cognitive or language outcomes in early childhood.”

“Our results are at odds with the results of some large-scale epidemiological studies. It may be that even well-conducted epidemiological studies overestimate effect size and do not adequately deal with residual confounding, or that other nutrients in fish and seafood, beyond DHA, contribute to the observations from epidemiological studies. Further studies are required to determine whether there are specific benefits of DHA supplementation for women with a previous history of depression and for women at risk of preterm birth.”

“Effect of DHA Supplementation During Pregnancy on Maternal Depression and Neurodevelopment of Young Children- A Randomized Controlled Trial”

Postnatal depression is a common depressive illness and occurs in 1 to 7 to 10 mothers; it is common for women after giving birth to a child to experience feeling low. Nobody knows what causes postnatal depression but it has been concluded  although there is no actual explanation for PND that the illness may arise due to the hormone change after childbirth also the stress of looking after a new baby and the disrupt to a mothers sleep can effect susceptible people.

Symptoms of PND;

Feeling low
Being unable to enjoy yourself
Irritability
Finding it hard to go to sleep
Constantly exhausted
Anxiety
Feeling worthless, hopeless
(Maybe) Appetite
Feeling there’s no way out of their (family) problems

PND is treatable; it is treated in the same way as ordinary depression. Talking about the problem to somebody such as a health professional like the mother’s health visitor or doctor will help the mother get additional help and support they may need with looking after a baby and getting treatment with depression. The most important thing to remember is to get better as soon as possible for the sake of mother and baby.

Baby blues

Baby blue’s the commonest and mildest form of  PND following childbirth, it is normal for baby blues to occur, it consists of the mother experiencing spells of irritability, feeling down and upset or a crying for  a few days. It is more common for first time mothers and who have experienced problems with pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS or PMT). It is known to probably be caused by the rapid female hormone changes the mother has been going through since giving birth to her, baby blues tends to sort and normally doesn’t require and other treatment than reassurance from others such as professionals, family and friends, that what they are experiencing is completely normal.

Postnatal Psychosis

Is a very rare complication of depression after childbirth, it affects 1 in every 500 women or so, mainly it occurs in mothers that have had previous medical history of serious mental illness or has a strong family history of mental illness, the symptoms felt by a person with postnatal psychosis is depression, other symptoms include false ideas, delusions, hearing voices and hallucinating. These symptoms appear from couple of days after childbirth or can even start up to a few weeks after a mother giving birth.

This type of PND requires treatment and which treatment the mother needs depend on the symptoms the mother is having or feeling, this will normally involve a psychiatrist and it is imperative for the mother to get help and treatment as soon as possible.

The things he has mentioned sound somewhat like typical PND thoughts:
Severe anxiety about the wellbeing of our daughter…
Worrying about something happening to him, me or Lucy.
and others things

Has anyone’s partner (or yourself for the Dad’s on here), been diagnosed with PND, and how was it treated?

Any other info/thoughts on this situation would be great… please keep it nice, I can handle people talking down about me, but my hubby and my daughter are off limits.
There is a condition known as male post natal depression:

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-male-post-natal-depression.htm

I really dont know what to do, im only 16 and have no knowledge of babies or anything but ive heard that some of these things are signs of post natal depression. I dont want to tell the babies dad in case im just over reacting but i also dont want to not do anything in case it just keeps getting worse.

its all making me stressful..and angry..so im scared im having depression..how i can get releif from this situation..??when my baby start to sleep at night???

New mothers are more and more open to the fact that Postnatal Yoga can help women minimize the risk of developing Post Natal Depression (PND, a clinical depression) or even worse a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD, a serious sort of anxiety often associated with those experiencing assault or people living in war torn areas).

1 in 10 women experience PND. The condition can last for weeks, months, or if the patient doesn’t receive a proper care – for years.

In many cases, PND patients can easily overcome their blues by moral supports from their loved ones and friends.

What are the signs of PND?

There are strings of alarming conditions that show that you might need a professional help:

– If you find your spouse and your newborn annoying;

- You feel exhausted all the time;

- You’re unhappy especially in the morning and in the evening;

- You’ve lost your appetite;

- Finding yourself sleepless;

- You’re not interested in intimacy and somewhat repel your spouse,

- You’ve lost interest in things you normally passionate about;

- You feel overwhelmed and can’t seem to be organized no matter how hard you try;

- Constant bad thoughts;

- You’re always afraid that you might somehow “break” the baby.

Yoga as mommy’s “Me Time”

Postnatal Yoga is a grate method to keep you in tune with the transition from being pregnant to becoming a mom.

Speaking to RateND, Joanna Dela Cruz from Green Lavender Yoga in Toronto indicates how Yoga can be beneficial to new moms.

“After the sheer physical effort of labor, yoga Asanas (postures) can help with strengthening new mum’s body. Certain postures can help to re-build and re-strengthen weakened pelvic and abdominal muscles after labor. Practicing yoga can also provide relief and act as a balm for aching shoulders, back and legs that many new mum’s experience.”

According to her, there’s an equal meditative aspect of Yoga that has calming effect such as Samavritti Pranayama breathing technique which one should practice under supervision of a qualified Yoga instructor.

Joanna also suggested a simple relaxation practice.

“Many times, with the new arrival, mom can easily forget about time for herself, a simple yoga practice and deep breathing can help mom feel continually refreshed and energized.”

Can mommy and baby practice Yoga together?

Feeling confined at home and overwhelmed by the newborn are things that new moms normally feel in the first weeks after the birth of the baby. In fact, the first few weeks are critical for mom to recover from physical and emotional setbacks. Being in a Postnatal Yoga class with other new moms can help reduce your stress.

“Yoga time with baby is a time for bonding and fun. Various postures will not only help to stretch or strengthen mum’s body, but add baby into the mix, and it’s a whole other level of fun and exploration! Or if baby wants to nap…mum can simply take some time just for her.”
According to Joanna, there are several Yoga poses that are especially beneficial for the new moms.

“Cow-face arms (Gomukhasana) or Eagle Arms (Garudasana) are particularly nice. If she needs to stretch out her low back and back legs just a simple forward fold (Uttanasana) with knees slightly bent or straight will be great, as well as Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana).”

Joanna Dela Cruz is a certified Vinyasa Flow and Hatha Yoga instructor and the co-owner of the Green Lavender Yoga Studio in Toronto. Green Lavender has prenatal and postnatal Yoga, restorative and gentle Yoga, Hatha, Vinyasa classes, as well as Qi Gong.

Failing to use a post natal wrap

Looking after yourself post delivery is an important part of the pregnancy and birth process that is all too commonly overlooked in western society. Mothers who neglect proper care after childbirth, commonly suffer body and back ache, low body image, low self confidence and often depression

Most midwifes and obstetricians agree that wrapping the belly post delivery assists in post-partum recovery. Here are just a few reasons why a BellyCo postnatal Belly Wrap is a MUST HAVE for your birth bag:

Minimises swelling

Aids in decreasing bloating caused by water retention

Reduces discomfort

Accelerates healing process

Helps minimise stretch marks

Abdominal support & comfort after caesarean

Repositions the Uterus

Assists in healing of Diastasis Recti

Ignoring traditional practices that have been tried, tested and proven beneficial

For centuries, women from many cultures around the world have been binding their abdomen post delivery as a natural postpartum recovery technique. This tradition has been handed down from generation to generation, from mother to mother and is believed to be an essential part in ensuring the physical and mental health of mothers after the birth of their babies.

Western women are quickly discovering, the many reasons to continue with the ancient practice of abdominal wrapping, and that it is a key secret in ensuring restored self confidence and restoring your stomach to pre-pregnancy shape and size.

Not only is it believed that constant increased pressure against the abdominal area reduces the size of the swollen uterus, flattens the belly and redefines the waistline helping you to get back into shape quickly and naturally, it has also been shown to give additional support to the legs and back all while providing much needed support for your postpartum belly.

Not using after a Caesarean

New statistics show that around 40% of all babies born in Australia are via caesarean. For women who have had a caesarean, wearing a BellyCo Belly Wrap accelerates the recovery process by  allowing greater mobility, increasing blood circulation around the surgical area and supporting the abdominal tissues while they heal. Firm pressure on the belly has been shown to  diminish swelling, decrease associated incision pain and relieve uncomfortable pulling sensations.

The constant and reassuring support of a BellyCo Belly Wrap will help minimize discomfort in the event of any sudden movement, sneezing or coughing.

Wearing incorrectly

A belly wrap designed for post natal use should feel snug, supportive and comfortable without impacting on breathing or circulation. When fitted correctly the wrap should sits just above the pubic bone and extend to your lower rib.

The BellyCo range has been designed with post natal women in mind. All materials used are bio-degradable, non-toxic, medical grade and non-allergenic.  Good for the environment and good for you.

Not wearing long enough

It is important to remember that the period immediately following birth is crucial for a healthy and confident transition into motherhood. Traditionally, postpartum belly wrapping is worn anywhere between a few days up to several months.

For best results, we recommend that you wear a BellyCo Belly Wrap snugly around your waist night and day for 4-6 weeks, removing only to bathe.

Choosing the wrong type of wrap

There are a huge assortment of belly bands, belly belts, girdles and belly wraps available these days.

The elasticated compression of the specially tailored BellyCo Belly Wrap has been specifically designed for use in the period following the birth of a baby.

Selecting the incorrect size

Each women is an individual and every pregnancy unique. How your body changes in shape, size and weight during this special time will influence your post pregnancy size. To achieve the best results from your belly wrap it is important that you select the correct size for your post pregnancy belly.

Here are some simple suggestions to consider:

* The average weight gain during pregnancy is 15kg. Based on this figure we recommend that you allow an increase post delivery of 1 to 2 sizes from your pre pregnant size

* The BellyCo Belly Wrap is designed to allow for a minimum increase of 2 sizes from your pregnant size with 15cm of adjustability to allow for the perfect fit as your belly shrinks

* If you have had your baby already, simply measure around your waist at your belly button and choose the BellyCo Belly Wrap that corresponds to your size

BellyCo has designed a range of BellyCo Belly Wraps to suit almost every body.

Buying from overseas

Why pay exchange rates and exorbitant postage costs when BellyCo has a range of post natal belly wraps to suit almost every body! BellyCo is proudly Australian owned and operated.

Start off with some kegel exercises, before jumping into anything too strenuous. Kegels will help tighten your vaginal walls back up and help any torn tissue heal by promoting more blood flow to the entire area. You may find that after using kegels as your starting postnatal exercise, that you’ll be a kegeler for life. Many women claim heightened arousal and intensified orgasms.

When you’re ready to move on to more taxing physical exercise (aside form what you’re already doing with your new baby), start off slowly and stick to low-impact exercises that aren’t too hard on your abdomen or private area. Walking, light cycling, elliptical machine on easy, etc. Don’t push it too hard until you know you’re not going to create set-backs.

If you increased your diet during your pregnancy, make sure you start to lower your caloric intake immediately. Getting your diet under control is just as important as starting your postnatal exercise routine.

Make sure you have a spouse, friend, parent, etc. that can help watch your infant while you exercises. While the mother/infant bond is hard to pull away from, you have to place some importance on being away from them for a half hour, or more — to burn off some stress. Any low-impact exercise is perfectly acceptable and works wonders for curing/preventing Postpartum depression symptoms that can often creep up on you starting in the first few weeks after giving birth.

Four months after having my baby, I still feel exhausted and have painful joints. I had a 16-hour labour and a forceps delivery. I finished breastfeeding a month ago. What can you suggest to help me get back on track?

Answer:

You have had a traumatic time with your baby’s birth and you may have been exhausted even before labour started, which could explain the weak contractions leading to a forceps delivery. For this reason, I recommend that patients prepare themselves physically and emotionally before giving birth (and also before major surgery), with diet, massage and pregnancy yoga – similar to the regime followed in rural communities in India which alleviates much of the stress and strain. In numerous cases’ I’ve seen new mothers recover very quickly and experience no aftereffects.

Most women recover soon after giving birth. Seeing the baby ,receiving flowers and notes, and the relief after nine months of endurance speeds recuperation. Postnatal fatigue is usually the result of factors such as poor nutrition, stress during pregnancy and the birth, excessive blood loss at the birth, lack of sleep, excessive demands from the newborn or health issues that concern the parents.

Postnatal fatigue and depression are closely linked, with similar symptoms such as extreme tiredness, muizzy head, aches and pains, lack of concentration, short-term memory loss, sleep patterns similar to jet lag (awake at night, tired during the day), sinking feelings in the heart frequent yawning loss of self-esteem and tearfulness.

The surge of hormones during pregnancy, along with improved circulation and a sense of responsibility and excitement about the new arrival, all help to create a heightened state of wellbeing. After labour, all that stops and the mother’s energy levels can plummet, which is what you are experiencing. That’s why I always suggest that patients pay attention to their bodies and minds in the time immediately after birth to facilitate recovery. In India, traditional midwives used to stay with the mother and baby for 40 days, organizing nourishing food, massaging them to soothe the effects of birth traumas, and helping with childcare so the mother could rest properly. These midwives would also train the mother in the art of childcare: feeding, bathing and even singing lullabies. As a result, both mother and baby usually thrived. I would like to see this practice used worldwide.

As you are so tired, it is understandably difficult to cope with the demands of a new baby. You must take great care of yourself. Try to get some help so that you have the opportunity to rest and allow your body to heal. To help you sleep, which is very important ask your husband/partner to give you a neck and shoulder massage twice a week. This will also improve blood flow to the brain and boost your sense of wellbeing. More details are on my Lifetime DVD. Massage yourself once or twice a week with my Lifestyle Massage Oil, or mix two tablespoonfuls of sweet almond oil with three drops of lavender essential oil, focusing on your temples, jaw, neck shoulders, arms, calves and the soles of your feet.

To restore your energy’ focus on your diet exercise and relaxation. You should also read the section on chronic fatigue in my book The Integrated Health Bible. Sadly, I don’t have room here to list all the advice, but here are some brief guidelines.

* Nutrition Drink freshly made carrot, apple and ginger juice to energise the body with vitamins and fresh enzymes. In general, eat a fresh, wholesome diet, with high levels of protein and lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Avoid yeast products, as these produce alcohol in the gut which makes you tired; alcoholic drinks, which again make you extremely tired and deoxygenate the blood, depriving the brain; coffee, which causes tension, stress and interferes with sleep; sugar, which increases gut fermentation; oily and spicy foods, which interfere with digestion; citrus fruits and sour-tasting fruit and vegetables, which create acidity that impairs absorption of nutrients and also affects gut bacteria.

* Supplements Take one capsule of either BioEnergy or Ashwaganda  twice daily for three months, and one capsule of either Dr Ali’s Multivitamins and Minerals or BioCare One A Day Multivitamin and Mineral daily for three months.

* Exercise and relaxation

Practise therapeutic iyengr yoga, particularly the cobra bridge, turtle and boat poses as well as the head roll and cleansing breath. You will find more details in my book Therapeutic Yoga, which I co-authored with Jiwan Brar.

The symptoms that usually start within the first to twelfth postpartum months vary widely among mothers. A few of the most common are despondency and despair, chronic fatigue, sleeplessness, anxiousness, lack of confidence, loss of sex drive and passion, muscle and joint pains, unhealthy skin, hair and nails, digestive disturbances, bladder problems, heart disease, trouble breathing, and a host of troubling emotions and moods swings. A woman can be puzzled, frustrated, even embarrassed when she reveals symptoms that have plagued her for years. She may have shared her self–observations with doctors only to find that they were not worthy of an acknowledgment or comforting comment from her physician. Any attempt on her part to connect the birth of one of her children with those symptoms may have been met with skepticism or passed over. Yet, she can’t shake the feeling that something about that particular birth began her health decline.

Her observations do have validity and merit. What most mainstream medical practitioners don’t fully take into consideration is that a baby’s body is formed and made entirely of nutrients donated by the mother’s body. Her child’s brain, eyes, muscles, bones, organs, glands, nerves, skin, tissues and fluids are entirely make from the nutrients taken from its mother’s bloodstream via the placenta.

If there is a lack of vital nutrients, the mother’s body is the first one that is deprived because her developing baby is Mother Nature’s priority. All mothers need to consciously replenish their lost nutritional and energetic reserves during the postpartum period. If this isn’t done, they might end up spending the rest of their lives wondering why they “just haven’t felt the same since the baby was born.”

The energy demands of caring for a newborn can further drain and deplete the mother’s nutrient reserves, especially if she is breastfeeding and sleep–deprived. If a woman has lost a great deal of blood while birthing her baby, the need for replenishing the nutritional components of blood is even more critical. Women who undergo Cesarean section also need to restore nutrient reserves; not only have they become mothers, they have had to have major surgery in the process. Women who lose a good deal of blood during the birth process and who don’t replenish key nutrients might experience light–headedness and throbbing headaches, along with extreme fatigue, sleeplessness, anxiety, and depression.

A new mother is also faced with the stress of integrating the intense needs of a new baby into her lifestyle while tending to her mate and perhaps other children and returning to work. All of these responsibilities that women – and those who are cared for by them – have taken for granted for millennia demand high–quality nutrients. Our food supply presently contains only half the nutrients that food contained in the 1940s due to the nutrient depletions in our soil. This fact makes it very difficult, if not impossible, for a mother to fully replenish the nutrient reserves her body donated to make her baby’s body solely from the food she eats. Eating highly refined and processed “junk” foods further depletes vital nutrients, which deepens the need to replenish postnatal nutrients even more.

Every physiologic process in the human body depends upon nutrients. The most important time to consciously replenish postpartum nutrient reserves begins immediately after giving birth and extends to 24 months postpartum. The failure to do this often sets the stage for chronic health problems that may last for decades.

There was a time that women throughout the globe would be given their placenta in some edible form to consume directly postpartum, much like dogs and cats do instinctively. The placenta contains highly concentrated amounts of the nutrients that the mother has lost through giving birth. The fact that eating one’s placenta is now culturally distasteful further supports the need to make a concerted effort to consume the appropriate nutrients and nourishing foods necessary for rebuilding and replenishing the new mother’s donated nutrient reserves. A high potency postnatal nutrient program is now essential to help a postpartum woman replenish her nutrient reserves.

Presently, about 30 million Americans take anti–depressant and anti–anxiety drugs. The majority of these are postpartum women! Women comprise 79% of U.S. citizens on antidepressant drugs. Many doctors prescribe Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, and a host of other anti–depressant drugs before considering whether the mother’s depression, anxiety, fatigue, or lethargy might be caused by postpartum nutrient depletion. All the major brain neurotransmitter chemicals (like serotonin, norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine and GABA) that effect mood, energy, and many other physiological process are formed entirely from nutrients! Postpartum nutritional depletion can cause a physiological depression that is far too often misdiagnosed as a mental disease. This is a medical short–sightedness that needs to change. A postnatal nutrient recovery program should be the very first thing a doctor thinks of and prescribes for postpartum women presenting these symptoms; especially with women who have no history of depression, hopelessness, anxiety, insomnia, or fatigue prior to giving birth. Continuing to take a high quality, comprehensive postnatal nutrient program can also help determine if there is truly a need for pharmaceutical antidepressant support or if replenishing nutrients are sufficient.

If one does need and benefits from the assistance of antidepressant drugs, it is still very important to note that these drugs contain no nutrients, so the need to replenish postpartum nutrient reserves still exists and should be addressed. This can also aid and prevent other postpartum health problems. The need for high potency postnatal nutrients is greater now than ever before because the pace of life keeps getting faster, more complex and stressful.

Omega–3 oils are robbed from the mother’s body at a very high rate via the placenta to help form her baby’s brain, eyes, nerves, and cellular membranes. Breast-feeding robs even more Omega 3 oils from a postpartum woman’s body because it is removed from her body to form the milk her body is producing. Many studies show the importance of Omega 3 fish oils to relieve depression, dry skin, thin hair and nails, fatigue and prevent heart disease in postpartum women. Omega 3 oils are an essential ingredient in a good postnatal nutrient program to assist a mother to replenish her nutrient reserves. It is vitally important that the Omega 3 fish oils taken be certified free of heavy metals and PCBs and also contain at least 3 different antioxidants (Vitamin E, Vitamin C, and rosemary oil are best) to prevent these oils from going rancid. Flax oil does not easily convert into DHA and EPA found in fish oils.

All the major nutrients are taken from mother’s body to help form baby’s body. Alpha Lipoic Acid and Coenzyme Q 10 are essential for the body to make energy. Without enough of these two essential nutrients, the energy producing mitochondria in our cells will often make only 2 units of ATP (cellular energy) instead of 38 units of ATP per cycle. These two deficiencies are major causes of postpartum depression, fatigue and mood swings. These two nutrients along with B vitamins, minerals including calcium and magnesium, and the Omega 3 oils are essential nutrients to help a mother replenish her postpartum nutrient reserves and should be included in a good postnatal nutrient formula. Prenatal vitamins do not adequately supply all of the nutrients that new mothers require after bringing new life into this world.

A high quality postnatal nutrient program should be an integral part of the pregnancy recovery program required for all postpartum women to fully replenish their nutrient reserves. This can assist new mothers to not only regain their health and prevent later health problems, but also to allow her the best chance of happily raising her family and having other healthy pregnancies and healthy children if desired.

Dr. Dean Raffelock is the lead author of A NATURAL GUIDE TO PREGNANCY AND POSTPARTUM HEALTH published by Avery in 2003. He is a holistic doctor who has been in private since 1977 and practices in Boulder, Colorado. He has earned four board certifications including clinical nutrition, acupuncture, chiropractic, and applied kinesiology and continues to teach research–based clinical nutrition for numerous medical organizations. Dr. Raffelock is Vice President of Research and Development for Soundformulas.com the makers of After Baby Boost™- the first and only clinically tested comprehensive postnatal nutrient system and Before Baby Boost™ the first and only comprehensive 3 bottle prenatal nutrient system. He is also President of Sound Formulations, LLC a consulting company that formulates and manufactures premium quality nutritional products for nutriceutical companies. He may be reached at DrDeanR@Soundformulas.com

Any mother can develop postnatal depression.  Some studies suggest that depression after childbirth is no more common than at other times.  However, it is thought that women are more prone to develop depression symptoms just after childbirth.  Reasons for this could include:

        – Feelings of inadequacy, particularly after the birth of a first child
        - Inadequate situational support
        - Inability to communicate concerns to partner or carers
        – A traumatic birth

There are differences between PND and ‘ordinary’ depression, but there are also many similarities.  In PND, symptoms are usually there on most days, for most of the time, for two weeks or more. Symptoms can include:

Low mood. Tends to be worse first thing in the morning, but not always
Not really enjoying anything. Lack of interest in yourself and your baby
Lack of motivation to do anything
Often feeling tearful
Feeling irritable a lot of the time
Feelings of guilt, rejection, or inadequacy
Poor concentration (like forgetting or losing things) or inability to make decisions
Feeling unable to cope with anything

Recent studies have associated postnatal depression with adverse effects on children’s later emotional and behavioural development (Oxford University, 2007). The mother child connection is of paramount importance as this relationship is the first one a child experiences, and provides the base on which all other relationships are built. Therefore help as early as possible can significantly benefit both mother and baby.

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT®) or “emotional acupuncture” is an elegantly simple yet powerful way of releasing  the mental, physical and emotional issues related to PND.  EFT is an emotional balancing therapy that works by gently tapping on accupressure points on the face, hands and torso whilst focusing on the specific issues, allowing them to come quickly to the surface and then released painlessly without any side-effects.

EFT is a unique and effective healing medium that can provide relief, comfort and help for mothers experiencing postnatal depression, and the distress it can cause.  It is a safe method of treatment that does not interfere with any medications or other underlying medical conditions. However, you should always speak with your GP if you are currently on any medication before considering stopping it completely.  

For more information on how EFT could benefit you, visit www.wendyclarkson.com.