When you’re feeling stressed and sad, the last thing you need is people congratulating you about how wonderful life must be for you. Their comments trigger guilt that you’re not over-the-moon happy.
Nearly 20 percent of women experience this emotional tightrope during or just after a pregnancy, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The figure jumps to 50 percent in teen mothers.
Perinatal depression ranges from mild feelings of lethargy to a full-on psychosis that requires hospitalization. For most women, it presents itself as feelings of sadness, depression, fatigue and/or anxiety.
Self-care during and after pregnancy improves wellness for both mom and baby. Women who experience stress during pregnancy are more likely to deliver prematurely, putting their infants at risk of developmental delays.
If someone you love is pregnant, help her take care of herself. Remind her nobody expects her to be a “perfect” mom.
She will appreciate hearing you tell her that she doesn’t need to decorate the nursery in the latest look, eat only organic foods until baby is weaned or snap her body back to pre-pregnancy shape.
Offer tangible help, and then follow through. Bring a meal, or run an errand. Listen carefully to what she says is worrying her.
Some resources for people concerned with perinatal depression include the Baby Box Co. website, the Beyond the Blues website and the Period of Purple Crying website.
Ann Cochran is the health navigation coordinator in the Dallas County Public Health Department.
