Postpartum Depression For Dummies
by Bennett, Shoshana S.; Codey, Mary JoEdition: 1st
Format: Paperback
Pub. Date: 2007-01-10
Publisher(s): For Dummies
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Summary
It's a great blessing when a new mom with postpartum depression (PPD) is fortunate enough to be diagnosed early by a knowledgeable medical practitioner or therapist. But without guidance, it isn't always clear where the boundary between normal baby blues and PPD lies. As with any other illness, the quicker that PPD is identified and treated, the faster the woman will recover. Postpartum Depression For Dummies can help you begin the process of determining what's going on with you and give you a better idea of where you fall so that you can get yourself into proper treatment right away. The book covers all aspects of PPD, from its history and its origins to its effects on women and their families to the wide variety of treatments available-including conventional Western medicine, psychological therapy, alternative medical treatments, and self-care measures. Postpartum Depression For Dummies reveals: Why some doctors may be hush-hush about PPD How to distinguish between pregnancy hormone changes, "baby blues," and PPD The difficulties of getting a proper diagnosis The role and importance of a therapist The benefits of medication for depression Alternative treatments with a successful track record How to find the right balance of psychological, medical, and alternative treatment Ways you can help foster recovery The nutrition you need to care for yourself properly How to help your partner help you Postpartum Depression For Dummies also provides the additional resources you need-web sites, organizations, and further reading-to help avoid the unnecessary suffering caused by undiagnosed and untreated PPD and survive and thrive as a new mom.
Author Biography
Shoshana S. Bennett, PhD, is a noted guest lecturer who has been featured on national television shows including ABC's 20/20. She is also host of the online talk show "Health Matters" at WorldTalkRadio.com.
Table of Contents
| Foreword | p. xix |
| Introduction | p. 1 |
| About This Book | p. 1 |
| Conventions Used in This Book | p. 2 |
| What You're Not to Read | p. 3 |
| Foolish Assumptions | p. 3 |
| How This Book Is Organized | p. 4 |
| Bringing Postpartum Depression into the Light: What It's All About | p. 4 |
| The Three Little Letters: PPD and You | p. 4 |
| Diagnosis Confirmed: Looking at the Treatment Options for PPD | p. 4 |
| Traveling the Road to Recovery | p. 5 |
| Moving Beyond PPD | p. 5 |
| The Part of Tens | p. 5 |
| Icons Used In This Book | p. 5 |
| Where to Go from Here | p. 6 |
| Bringing Postpartum Depression into the Light: What It's All About | p. 7 |
| The Big Adjustment: Welcome to Motherhood | p. 9 |
| The Reality of Motherhood: Let Bootie Camp Begin! | p. 10 |
| The Reality of Postpartum Depression (PPD) | p. 12 |
| Debunking Denial: A Glimpse from Yours Truly | p. 14 |
| Denial's more than a river in Egypt | p. 15 |
| Why some doctors may be hush-hush about PPD | p. 18 |
| When Depression Begins in Pregnancy | p. 19 |
| Distinguishing between pregnancy hormone changes and PPD | p. 20 |
| Understanding the urgency of getting help at this stage | p. 21 |
| A Brief Overview of Treating and Recovering from PPD | p. 22 |
| Timing is everything, so begin your treatment now | p. 22 |
| Knowing your three main treatment options | p. 24 |
| Fostering recovery on your own | p. 25 |
| Before You Begin, Take Some Hope for the Journey | p. 26 |
| These Ain't No Baby Blues: PPD, Up Close and Personal | p. 27 |
| Baby Blues: Cute Name for a Crummy Time | p. 28 |
| What the lighter side looks like | p. 28 |
| Getting support | p. 29 |
| When the Misty Blues Turn to Darker Hues | p. 30 |
| Distinguishing between baby blues and PPD | p. 30 |
| Identifying the symptoms of PPD | p. 32 |
| Understanding the risk factors | p. 33 |
| Considering Special Situations Where PPD May Be on the Horizon | p. 35 |
| If Baby is seriously ill | p. 36 |
| If Baby passes on | p. 37 |
| If babies come in pairs (or more) | p. 38 |
| If you're a teenage mom | p. 38 |
| Extending beyond Biological Moms: PPD in Dads and Adoptive Moms | p. 39 |
| Letting go of preconceptions: Dads with PPD | p. 39 |
| Feeling the weight without the labor: Adoptive moms | p. 40 |
| You Mean There's More? Five Related Postpartum Disorders | p. 41 |
| Penciling in Some Lines: A Quick Comparison of Mood Disorders | p. 41 |
| When Fear Strikes: Panic Disorder | p. 43 |
| Searching for the root of an attack | p. 44 |
| Calming your panic | p. 44 |
| Helping others help you | p. 46 |
| Facing the Aftermath: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder | p. 46 |
| Reducing post-traumatic stress | p. 48 |
| Helping others help you | p. 49 |
| Breaking the Cycle: Handling Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) | p. 50 |
| The obsessive side of OCD | p. 52 |
| The compulsive side of OCD | p. 54 |
| Putting OCD to bed | p. 54 |
| Helping others help you | p. 56 |
| Riding the Emotional See-Saw: Bipolar Disorder | p. 57 |
| Balancing the scales of bipolar disorder | p. 58 |
| Helping others help you | p. 59 |
| Immediate Attention Needed: Psychosis | p. 60 |
| Combating psychosis | p. 61 |
| Warning your loved ones | p. 62 |
| The Three Little Letters: PPD and You | p. 63 |
| Looking Within: Is PPD Your Big Bad Wolf? | p. 65 |
| Facing the Beast Head-On: Tuning In to Your Emotions | p. 65 |
| Minding Your Mentality: A Look at Self-Talk and Dark Thoughts | p. 68 |
| Hearing what you say to yourself | p. 68 |
| Recognizing the difference between fantasies and reality: A word about suicide | p. 70 |
| Watching for Warning Signs of the Physical Kind | p. 72 |
| Evaluating Your Postpartum Slump | p. 73 |
| A Professional Assessment: What's Huffing and Puffing at Your Mind's Door? | p. 77 |
| The Difficulties of the Diagnosis | p. 78 |
| Taking a Pre-Assessment: The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale | p. 78 |
| Answering a handful of questions | p. 79 |
| Discussing your pre-assessment with a professional | p. 83 |
| Receiving a Competent Professional Assessment | p. 83 |
| Making sure your doctor has proper PPD training | p. 83 |
| Going another round to establish a diagnosis | p. 84 |
| Reacting to Your Diagnosis | p. 86 |
| Seeking Out a Therapist to Keep Your Proverbial House Standing | p. 89 |
| Understanding the Role and Importance of a Therapist | p. 90 |
| Finding the Motivation to Go to Therapy: Demolishing Mental Blockades | p. 92 |
| In the beginning: Contemplating therapy | p. 92 |
| Confronting fear of the "therapy" label | p. 93 |
| Knowing that therapy doesn't mean you're weak | p. 93 |
| Revisiting previous bad experiences with therapy | p. 94 |
| Gracefully accepting your need for help | p. 94 |
| Understanding your partner's reaction | p. 95 |
| Talking yourself into, not out of, therapy | p. 95 |
| Seeking Help When You Suspect You Have PPD | p. 96 |
| Finding the Right Therapist for You | p. 97 |
| Knowing what to look for in a therapist | p. 97 |
| The gender bender: The equal weights of Mars and Venus | p. 99 |
| Choosing a Licensed Therapist | p. 99 |
| Sorting through the assortment of therapists | p. 99 |
| Other potentially helpful professionals | p. 101 |
| Paying for Therapy: Don't Shortchange Yourself | p. 102 |
| Locating a Therapist or Counselor | p. 103 |
| Assessing the Therapist You've Chosen | p. 104 |
| Diagnosis Confirmed: Looking at the Treatment Options for PPD | p. 107 |
| Venting Your Mind and Heart: Psychological Treatment | p. 109 |
| Knowing What to Expect From Therapy | p. 109 |
| The first point to remember: Keep your expectations realistic | p. 110 |
| Partnering with your therapist | p. 110 |
| The mechanics of therapy: Where, when, and how long | p. 112 |
| Grasping the length of the therapeutic process | p. 113 |
| Deciding when to show or when to go | p. 113 |
| Making the Most of Therapy | p. 115 |
| Assessing your needs | p. 115 |
| Putting out the fire before rewiring the house | p. 116 |
| Developing a wellness plan | p. 118 |
| Letting the nature of therapy take its course | p. 120 |
| Ending Therapy and Staying Healthy | p. 122 |
| Attending Groups | p. 122 |
| Counteracting a Chemical Cause: Medical Treatments | p. 125 |
| Recognizing the Benefits of Medication on Depression | p. 126 |
| Who You Gonna Call? A Psychiatrist, That's Who | p. 127 |
| Understanding why a psychiatrist is essential | p. 127 |
| Knowing where to go if you can't get to a psychiatrist | p. 129 |
| Addressing Concerns about Taking Prescribed Meds | p. 129 |
| The most common general worries | p. 129 |
| "Is taking meds while nursing safe?" | p. 131 |
| "How do I know I'm not dealing with a thyroid problem?" | p. 132 |
| Specific Types of Medical Treatments for PPD | p. 133 |
| Antidepressants | p. 133 |
| Antianxiety meds | p. 134 |
| Sleep aids | p. 135 |
| Mood stabilizers | p. 136 |
| Antipsychotic meds | p. 136 |
| Electroconvulsive therapy | p. 136 |
| Understanding the Fact that Finding the Right Med(s) is a Process | p. 137 |
| Identifying the important health-related differences among women | p. 138 |
| Staying the course after you receive a prescription | p. 139 |
| Side Effects: You Can't Always Get Just What You Want | p. 140 |
| Knowing When to Begin Med Therapy | p. 141 |
| All Things Natural: Alternative Treatments | p. 143 |
| Introducing the World of Alternative Treatments | p. 144 |
| Looking back on the rise of alternative treatments | p. 144 |
| Sorting out basic treatment-type terminology | p. 145 |
| Combating the negative stigma of the alternative route | p. 147 |
| Alternative Treatments that Make the Cut for Their Success | p. 148 |
| Energy work | p. 149 |
| Exercise | p. 150 |
| Guided imagery | p. 150 |
| Light therapy | p. 151 |
| Massage | p. 151 |
| Meditation | p. 151 |
| Omega-3 fatty acids | p. 152 |
| SAMe | p. 152 |
| Alternative Treatments that May Add a Bit of Benefit | p. 152 |
| Acupuncture | p. 152 |
| Applied kinesiology | p. 153 |
| Ayurveda | p. 154 |
| Chiropractic therapy | p. 154 |
| Herbs | p. 154 |
| Homeopathy | p. 156 |
| Hormones | p. 157 |
| Hypnotherapy | p. 157 |
| Reflexology | p. 158 |
| Yoga | p. 158 |
| Administering Alternative Treatments: You and a Pro | p. 158 |
| Who's who in the name game | p. 158 |
| Searching for Other Alternative Treatments: Be on Guard! | p. 161 |
| Creating a Comprehensive Treatment Plan | p. 163 |
| The Three Components: Finding the Right Balance for You | p. 164 |
| Conventional Therapy or Alternative? A Quick Comparison | p. 165 |
| Coordinating the Plan | p. 168 |
| Letting a good doc guide the way | p. 168 |
| Meeting with a psychiatrist | p. 169 |
| Working with two therapists | p. 169 |
| Doing a bit of research | p. 170 |
| Making sure you're on the same page as your doc | p. 173 |
| Reacting to a doctor who stands her ground | p. 174 |
| Adding Professionals to Your Treatment Team | p. 174 |
| Getting Your Team Members to Huddle | p. 176 |
| As You Go through Treatment | p. 177 |
| Determining what's working | p. 177 |
| Knowing when it's time to try something else | p. 178 |
| Ah, the Good Stuff: Dealing with Insurance | p. 179 |
| Putting a price on happiness | p. 179 |
| Making the grade: Understanding the "in-network" mumbo-jumbo | p. 180 |
| Traveling the Road to Recovery | p. 181 |
| Getting the Most Out of Your Treatment | p. 183 |
| Recognizing the Stages of Recovery | p. 183 |
| Accepting PPD as a force to be reckoned with | p. 184 |
| Fear: Feeling the weight of self-doubt | p. 186 |
| Impatience: Wanting to shove Father (or Mother) Time forward | p. 187 |
| Glimmers of light: Experiencing moments of feeling good again | p. 188 |
| Recognizing the old you | p. 189 |
| Keeping the Faith: Ways to Foster Recovery | p. 190 |
| Staying in the present | p. 190 |
| Charting your progress to see success | p. 192 |
| Being kind to yourself | p. 193 |
| Loving your body (and respecting yourself, too) | p. 195 |
| Celebrating your successes | p. 196 |
| Playing your part in your treatment team | p. 197 |
| Setting the Supermom Cape Aside: Caring For Yourself | p. 199 |
| Eat and Drink Your Heart Out, Baby! (The Healthy Way, of Course) | p. 200 |
| Boosting your mood with food | p. 200 |
| Hydrating your brain | p. 202 |
| Taking nutritional supplements | p. 202 |
| Making Sure You Get Some Winks | p. 204 |
| Starting with the ideal plan | p. 205 |
| Making do with whatcha' got | p. 205 |
| Working through the challenges | p. 207 |
| Shakin' It for Your Love | p. 208 |
| Taking Regular Breaks | p. 209 |
| Avoiding burnout | p. 209 |
| Figuring out what to do with yourself | p. 210 |
| Staying Social | p. 211 |
| Cocooning versus unhealthy isolation | p. 211 |
| Confiding in people you're comfortable with | p. 212 |
| Creating a Positive Ambience | p. 213 |
| Muffling the noise | p. 213 |
| Getting away from cabin fever (without leaving the house!) | p. 213 |
| Soaking in some vitamin D | p. 214 |
| Trading the rags for britches | p. 214 |
| Shutting off the boob (tube) | p. 215 |
| Reading airy fluff, not serious stuff | p. 215 |
| Giving Yourself Permission to Set Limits | p. 215 |
| Reaching out and asking for assistance | p. 216 |
| Accepting help when it's offered | p. 217 |
| Structuring Your Day | p. 218 |
| Making lists | p. 218 |
| Setting yourself up for success | p. 220 |
| Knowing It's Okay to Lighten Your Load | p. 220 |
| Deciding whether to take it on | p. 221 |
| Slacking for the good of your health | p. 222 |
| Coping with Your Feelings | p. 223 |
| Learning to Ride the Waves | p. 223 |
| Facing Your Feelings Head On | p. 224 |
| Throwing a party for yourself! A pity party, that is | p. 224 |
| Releasing your perfect pictures | p. 226 |
| Letting your worries float away | p. 227 |
| Boosting Your Self-Esteem | p. 230 |
| Assessing your self-esteem | p. 231 |
| Improving your self-esteem | p. 232 |
| Knowing What You Can and Can't Control | p. 234 |
| Coming to terms with the truth | p. 234 |
| Relinquishing the reins to your partner | p. 235 |
| Responding to Others Honestly (But Appropriately!) | p. 236 |
| Taking a timeout when you feel snippy | p. 237 |
| Dealing with comments that put you on the defensive | p. 238 |
| Forcing Yourself to Laugh | p. 240 |
| Finding Somebod(ies) to Lean On | p. 241 |
| Emerging from under the Sheets | p. 242 |
| Accepting the fact that you need a support circle | p. 242 |
| Deciding whom to tell | p. 243 |
| Diversifying Your Support Team | p. 244 |
| Your partner | p. 244 |
| Home sweet home: The core of your support | p. 245 |
| Extending the innermost circle | p. 246 |
| Increasing the circumference to outside communities | p. 248 |
| Explaining Your Depression to Others | p. 252 |
| Adapting your info according to the listener | p. 252 |
| Getting personal with other adults | p. 253 |
| Giving the gist to older kids | p. 254 |
| Finding a Healthy Balance between Support and Self-Sufficiency | p. 256 |
| Helping Your Partner Help You | p. 257 |
| Understanding Your Partner's Role in the Battle | p. 258 |
| Dealing with Your Partner When You Want to Be Left Alone | p. 259 |
| Kindly explaining your need for solace | p. 260 |
| Keeping your cool | p. 261 |
| Minding your partner's need for space | p. 262 |
| Communicating Effectively on a Regular Basis | p. 262 |
| Listening, not just hearing | p. 263 |
| Scheduling regular debriefing sessions | p. 263 |
| Telling your partner what you need (without making him guess or making him wrong) | p. 264 |
| Maintaining sensitivity in your speech | p. 265 |
| Seeing a Therapist Together: Benefiting from an Extra Set of Brains | p. 266 |
| Getting Support when Friends and Family Make You Feel Worse | p. 268 |
| Sharing Responsibilities | p. 269 |
| Having a business meeting | p. 269 |
| Splitting household chores for now and always | p. 270 |
| Handling money matters | p. 271 |
| Watering Your Relationship and Letting It Grow | p. 272 |
| Continuing the dating stage | p. 272 |
| Enjoying Mars and Venus: Sex (for him) and intimacy (for you) | p. 273 |
| Showing love to your partner even when you feel empty | p. 276 |
| Helping the One You Love: A Chapter for Family, Friends, and Partners | p. 277 |
| Reacting in a Healthy, Helpful Way | p. 278 |
| Showing your understanding and unconditional support | p. 278 |
| Acknowledging your difficult feelings | p. 279 |
| Keeping your lips sealed | p. 279 |
| Getting Information if Depression Is Foreign to You | p. 280 |
| Thickening Your Skin: Not Taking Things Personally | p. 282 |
| The negative actions or reactions aren't about you! | p. 282 |
| You aren't the trigger (or the fixer) of your loved one's PPD | p. 282 |
| Caring for Yourself | p. 283 |
| ...To benefit her | p. 284 |
| ...To benefit you | p. 284 |
| Keeping Kindness in Your Countenance | p. 285 |
| Continually caring even when you're frustrated | p. 285 |
| Holding closely the virtue of patience | p. 286 |
| Radiating optimism and hope | p. 287 |
| Putting Your Love into Action | p. 288 |
| Listening without trying to fix her (or her problems) | p. 288 |
| Providing the partner support she needs | p. 289 |
| Lending a helping hand | p. 291 |
| Encouraging healthy habits | p. 292 |
| Referring her to helpful resources | p. 293 |
| When PPD Escalates: Recognizing the Warning Signs of Suicide | p. 294 |
| Practicing Sensitivity: Knowing What's Okay and Not Okay to Say | p. 295 |
| Leaving constructive criticism by the wayside | p. 295 |
| Lauding her efforts | p. 296 |
| Keeping her stress under wraps | p. 296 |
| Steering clear of mentioning her shortfalls | p. 296 |
| Making her sure of your loyalty | p. 298 |
| Moving Beyond PPD | p. 299 |
| Delight at the End of the Tunnel: Emerging with a New Sense of Self | p. 301 |
| Looking Back: Build Yourself Up, Buttercup | p. 302 |
| Remembering the past: The healing gift that lasts | p. 302 |
| Congratulating yourself for pressing on the journey of healing | p. 304 |
| Completing and "anchoring in" the healing process | p. 306 |
| Taking Back the Reigns | p. 308 |
| Setting realistic goals | p. 308 |
| Making decisions again | p. 309 |
| Taking over tasks | p. 310 |
| Feeling Like Yourself...Or Even Better | p. 311 |
| Deciding Whether to Have Another Baby | p. 313 |
| First Things First: Assessing Your Intentions | p. 314 |
| Making an Informed Decision, Sans Fear | p. 315 |
| Sizing up your risk of getting PPD again | p. 315 |
| Knowing the truth about PPD and postpartum psychosis | p. 317 |
| Planning Ahead if You Decide to Pass Go | p. 318 |
| Arming yourself early on | p. 319 |
| Surveying the elements of a postpartum plan | p. 320 |
| Putting your plan on paper | p. 320 |
| Undergoing professional consultations | p. 324 |
| Considering an antidepressant as a preventive means | p. 325 |
| Trusting Your Decisions | p. 327 |
| The Part of Tens | p. 329 |
| Ten Common Fantasies about Motherhood | p. 331 |
| This Should Be the Happiest Time in My Life | p. 331 |
| I Should Be Able to Do Everything Myself | p. 332 |
| I Shouldn't Need Breaks | p. 332 |
| My Life Won't Change That Much | p. 333 |
| My Needs Shouldn't Matter | p. 333 |
| Bonding Happens Immediately at Birth | p. 334 |
| Breastfeeding Is Natural, So It Should Come Easily | p. 335 |
| Mothering Is Instinctual | p. 335 |
| I Should Feel Satisfied Being a Stay-at-Home Mom | p. 336 |
| My Baby Will Be My Companion | p. 336 |
| Ten Thoughts to Focus on Throughout the Day | p. 337 |
| PPD Is an Illness, Not a Weakness | p. 337 |
| Seeking Help is Courageous | p. 337 |
| I'm a Good Mom | p. 338 |
| PPD is Temporary - I Will Recover | p. 338 |
| It's Important That I Take Care of Myself | p. 338 |
| I'm Doing the Best I Can | p. 339 |
| I'm Practicing Love toward Myself | p. 339 |
| I'm Surrounding Myself with Positives | p. 340 |
| PPD Isn't My Fault | p. 340 |
| I'm Not Alone | p. 340 |
| Resources | p. 341 |
| Web Sites | p. 341 |
| Information | p. 341 |
| Support resources | p. 342 |
| Support Numbers | p. 343 |
| International Organizations | p. 343 |
| Postpartum Support International | p. 344 |
| Marce Society | p. 344 |
| North American Society for Psychosocial Obstetrics and Gynecology (NASPOG) | p. 344 |
| Further Reading | p. 345 |
| Index | p. 347 |
| Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved. |
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