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Last Updated: May 11, 2023
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Natural Remedies for Postpartum Depression

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Dr. Rajesh KumarPsychiatrist • 17 Years Exp.MD - Psychiatry, MBBS
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This event of postpartum brings several medical and emotional conditions along with it and one such issue which comes associated with this is depression and it is very commonly experienced by the women after they give birth and sometimes this condition is also known to be as birth blues. The level of hormones in your body fluctuates a lot (which means the hormone levels are going up and down very frequently) as soon as you hit your labor or after the delivery of the baby. These hormonal fluctuations can lead you to trigger certain other issues like anxiety, mood swings, trouble sleeping and many other problems which can be associated with this condition. When these problems or issues do not go away after two weeks of time then, you can most certainly conclude that you are suffering from this medical condition of postpartum depression or PPD. 

This condition of PPD is so common that almost one woman out of every 7 women suffers from this after they give birth to their baby and this condition of PPD or baby blues is much more intense or severe when it is in the initial stages and you are ought to experience so many crying episodes during this. While you are experiencing this you might find yourself getting distant from your family, friends or other social connection and there are also cases in which the mother gets thought of putting herself or the baby to harm while she is going through this phase of PPD. There are various other issues or symptoms which are associated with this condition of PPD and they are listed below: 

  • Panic attacks
  • You find it very difficult to bond with your own baby
  • Anxiety
  • Severe mood swings
  • Difficulty in making decisions
  • An extreme lack or decrease in the energy
  • Irritability
  • Anger

If you start to experience any of the symptoms or issues you should talk to your partner or your close friend about this and when you feel comfortable talking to a doctor about the issue you should book yourselves an appointment and explore various treatment ideas and options. This condition of PPD is known to last for several months if this condition is left untreated and leads you to face difficulty in taking care of yourself and your child.

When you have consulted with your doctor you might wonder whether you are opting for any kind of natural remedy and whether it will prove to be helpful or not. There are so many options available for the treatment of PPD but you should be aware of the fact that you cannot treat this medical condition of PPD on your own. You should solely share this remedy that you are taking along with your holistic medications with your doctor. Thera are natural methods that can relieve you of the symptoms or reduce the severity of the problem and these are listed below: 

Vitamins

Researchers have found that you can take omega-3 fatty acids for the treatment of the symptoms or issues that rise because of PPD and as a matter of fact this is also found that when there is low consumption of these omega-3 fatty acids into your body you are more likely to develop a medical condition of depression very easily. But to use it as a primary medication for the treatment of this problem more research is to be done and medical stores are tapped quite a bit more during the time of pregnancy and postpartum period for this substance and supplements of omega-3s. You can also take the following supplements or certain food items to increased the amount of omega-3 in your body: 

  • Other oily fish
  • Flax seeds
  • Salmon
  • Chia seeds
  • Sardines

You may also find riboflavin or vitamin B2  very helpful for yourself as it decreases the risk of development of the condition of PPD and riboflavin has been found to be very helpful in relieving and correcting various mood disorders of a person. The moderate consumption of riboflavin will give you the best results.

Herbal Supplements

Not many herbal products are been regulated and found helpful in the treatment of this problem of of PPD but herbs or plants like St. John's wort is found to be very helpful and is generally used in the treatment of depression and the views for the application of this supplement for the treatment of PPD is also mixed and it might be helpful or not for the woman while she is breastfeeding.

Conclusion

This medical condition of PPD is a very serious issue and it arises at a very sensitive phase of a woman's life and which makes it even more difficult for the woman and makes her question her own will and creates a sense of doubt in her mind. These home remedies could help you decrease the symptoms and issues that you are facing or experiencing but they do not totally help you get rid of it and taking medical help is the only option if you want to eradicate this problem from your system. When this condition is not treated properly or does not go away on its own it becomes a chronic problem, so it is advised that you should get this problem treated as soon as possible and before you start consuming any of the supplements discuss it with your health provider and read in depth about the supplement and its effect.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult a specialist & get answers to your questions!
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