5 Tips to Cope with Postpartum Depression (PPD)

The period after you deliver your baby can be filled with mixed emotions, from joy, and fear to sadness. You may go on experiencing postpartum depression (PPD).

Symptoms, usually start within a few weeks of delivery, may include mood swings, trouble bonding with your baby, and difficulty thinking or making decisions. Therefore, here are five tips on how to deal with PPD.

Maintain a Healthy Diet

Getting into the habit of eating nutritious foods can help you feel better and give your body the nutrients you need. You can try planning the week’s meals on the weekend and even preparing healthy snacks ahead of time.

Make Time to Rest

Some women chose to sleep when the baby sleeps but it cannot help your body when it needs a rest. A 2009 report highlights how women who got the least sleep also experienced the most depressive symptoms.

In particular, this applied to women who clocked fewer than four hours of sleep between midnight and 6 a.m. or fewer than 60 minutes of napping throughout the day. So, you may find it helpful to take naps or go to bed early.

Focus on Fish Oils

During that critical time, it is good to have omega-3 fatty acids, like DHA. Women who have low levels of DHA have higher rates of postpartum depression, according to an article published by the Journal of Affective Disorders.

Seafood is an excellent dietary source of DHA but if you’re a vegetarian, flaxseed oil is another great source.

Meditation

Women who recently gave birth have to reduce stress and its added effects on PPD and PPA through meditation. Hackensack Meridian Health offers several online, live sessions to help you manage stress and practice mindful meditation and self-care.

Resist Isolation

A study published by the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry indicates that talking about your feelings with others can help shift your mood. In like manner, researchers discovered that new mothers had lower levels of depression after regularly speaking with experienced mothers who had previously experienced PPD. These results extended to four weeks and then eight weeks after delivery.