The fact of the matter is that postpartum depression can be a very debilitating condition. If left unchecked, postpartum depression can prevent a mother from bonding with her baby, or even break up a family. In some cases, severe postpartum depression may lead into postpartum psychosis, which can even wind up being fatal for the new mother. Fortunately, postpartum depression is a treatable condition. There are even natural aids that can help with postpartum depression.

It is important, first of all, to realize that postpartum depression is a serious condition. You should not attempt to treat postpartum depression on your own. The most successful treatments for postpartum depression will likely include a variety of aids, such as antidepressant medications, therapy, and a positive social structure. This is not to say that there are not natural aids for postpartum depression; in fact, there are a great many natural aids for postpartum depression. This mainly means, however, that postpartum depression should not be treated solely by natural aids.

There are natural aids for postpartum depression that can add to and help out, when used alongside other treatments. For example, the herb St. John’s wort has long been used as a natural aid to treat depression. There are herbal teas that may contain things like St. John’s wort that are especially designed to help the woman with postpartum depression. Using these sorts of alternative treatments alongside of a clinical treatment, such as medications and/or therapy, can definitely help the recovery process.

There are also nutritional concerns that relate to postpartum depression, as well. High quality supplements, such as those that contain Omega-3 fatty acids and those that contain B Vitamins are also thought to be natural aids for postpartum depression. In addition, a well-balanced diet that contains sufficient amounts of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains is an important aid to dealing with postpartum depression. Even rest and exercise are essential components to the overall treatment of postpartum depression.

Somewhere between 5% and 9% of women will experience postpartum thyroiditis. Postpartum thyroiditis refers to the inflammation of the thyroid glad that occurs after pregnancy (postpartum). The inflammation itself is typically painless, and occurs between 4 and 12 months after giving birth. However, there are specific symptoms that this inflammation can cause that may need to be treated.

There are two distinct phases of postpartum thyroiditis. Each phase has its own particular symptoms, and each phase will have its own particular treatments.

During the first phase, a woman will experience symptoms of hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid. This period generally lasts from between 2 to 4 months. During this phase a woman feel overly warm. She might have varying degrees and periods of muscle weakness. She might experience an increased amount of anxiety. She might have difficulty with concentration. A woman may sometimes have an extremely rapid heartbeat. In addition, she may even fell occasional tremors. Weight loss is also a typical characteristic of this phase.

During the second phase of postpartum thyroiditis, a woman will experience symptoms of hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid. This also will last for between 2 to 4 months. During this phase, a woman might feel tired. She will likely experience a loss of memory. She might find that her tolerance for cold weather is gone. She may have muscle cramps. She will likely feel weak. She may also have constipation. Weight gain is also a typical characteristic of this phase.

If you believe you are experiencing postpartum thyroiditis, your health care provider may be able to diagnose you properly. Once diagnosed, you may be eligible for treatments. Whether a woman can be treated can include a variety of factors, including your tolerance for thyroid medications, your overall health and medical history, your age, and the extent to which postpartum thyroiditis is affecting you. Treatment for the first phase of hyperthyroidism, treatment is often unnecessary. Thyroid hormone replacement therapy has proven particularly effective during the hypothyroidism (second) phase.

A woman experienced in childbirth who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother and their partner before, during and just after childbirth is known as a “doula.” Doulas are trained and experienced in childbirth. A doula may offer help and advice on issues related to comfort, movement, positioning and relaxation. She may help gather information about the course of labor and their options. A doula provides continuous emotional reassurance and comfort. A postpartum is a specific type of doula that goes into the home during the first few weeks after birth to give general family and household support, and help the new mom with breast feeding, newborn care, instructions, mother care, etc.

A postpartum doula might perform other tasks such as cleaning, giving baby care tips, demonstrating baby baths, cooking, swaddling techniques, advice on sleeping issues for mom and baby, go with mom on first car trip to the store alone with baby, special help with postpartum depressed moms, practical help with multiple births, errands, helps mom get through the circumcision, setting up the nursery and much more, depending on individual situations.

Some advantages of using a post partum doula include:
- Better chance of success with breastfeeding;
- Lower chance of infant dehydration and hospitalization with health complications due to the important information the postpartum doula can provide;
- Potentially a lower chance of maternal postpartum depression;
- Less maternal exhaustion, frustration, and apprehension during the early weeks of your baby’s life;
- A reduction in unnecessary calls to pediatricians;
- Dad may be able to return to work sooner, and with less worry;
- Everyone will have a greater understanding of newborn emotional and physical needs and behavior;
- Earlier bonding due to more confidence.

The amount of work that your doula does for you, your geographic location and your doula’s certification and experience will all factor in to the amount she will charge you. In general, you should expect to pay in the neighborhood of at least $20 per hour for a certified doula. There are many doulas working toward certification that may not charge you at all or ask you only to pay for expenses. Many doulas use a sliding scale to charge you based on income. Most insurance companies do not cover the cost of a doula.

There are a few things to keep in mind when looking for a doula:
- Be certain what exactly it is that you expect from your postpartum doula, and communicate this clearly to a prospective doula.
- Be certain that the doula’s ideas about childbirth and infancy are similar to yours.
- Interview several doulas, preferable with the help of your partner or your family.
- Ask friends, relatives, and health care providers if they can recommend a postpartum doula.
- If you cannot find a postpartum doula on your own, Utilize the Dona International (the group that certifies Doulas) web site to help locate a postpartum doula in your area.

A common but frustrating experience for many women is postpartum hair loss. After a woman gives birth, sometimes her hair will begin to gradually thin over a period of months. The medical term for this condition is telogen effluvium.

Telogen effluvium often results from an experience that is either physically or emotionally traumatic, such as childbirth. Normally, a woman loses around 100 hairs from her head every day. After giving birth, there is a change in the way that hairs grow and develop. This change causes a larger number of hair follicles to shed all at one time. Postpartum hair loss generally starts between one and five months after giving birth, and typically stops within another 15 months.

Postpartum hair loss is thought to occur in around 10% of women. Some studies suggest that postpartum hair loss may be more common in women with longer hair; however, it may also be that the hair loss is much more noticeable in women with longer hair.

Hormonal changes during pregnancy are, in part, responsible for this phenomenon. The increased estrogen levels present in a woman’s body during pregnancy make it so that fewer hairs are in the “resting” state. This also means that fewer new hairs will be growing. During pregnancy, you might have fuller, thicker, hair. After birth, estrogen levels drop sharply, and thus those old hairs that were growing are now falling out, and the fewer new hairs that grew during pregnancy have to take their place.

The most important thing to remember about postpartum hair loss is that it will eventually stop. Your hair will grow correctly again, often in time to celebrate your baby’s first birthday. Many women choose to try different hair styles and/or different hair care products. Some products, such as hair thickeners or mousse may be able to give your hair a fuller look during this time. Other women find that this is a good time to try a shorter hairstyle, to avoid the necessity of constantly cleaning clumps of hair from the drain.

Postpartum depression can be extremely debilitating. It can also rob a new mother of some of the joys of having her new baby. Post partum depression affects as many as 1 out of 8 women during the first few months of their child’s life. Fortunately, there are things that you can do to ease postpartum depression.

Some of the most reliable ways to ease postpartum depression are anti-depressant medications. Some antidepressants, such as Zoloft, Anafranil, and Norpramin, are considered safe for a woman who is breastfeeding. Others antidepressant medications, such as Paxil, may be more questionable. However, if postpartum depression is severe enough that it is interfering with a mother’s role in caring for her child, stopping breastfeeding to take an antidepressant may be the lesser of two evils.

Another way to ease postpartum depression is therapy. This can take the form of almost anything, from psychoanalysis to counseling to cognitive-behavioral therapy. By talking to a psychologist or therapist, many women have had success managing the symptoms of depression. Talk therapy does not make the feelings of depression go away; rather, it helps the mother develop the tools that she needs to keep those feelings in check.

In addition to these treatments, there are a variety of other factors that may help to ease postpartum depression. A strong social structure, beginning with a supportive husband, can be a tremendous weapon in the fight against postpartum depression. These types of support can range from helping out with housework to taking care of the baby for a period of time so that the new mom can get some well-deserved rest.

The most successful way to ease postpartum depression will likely include a combination of these methods. Therapy, antidepressant medications, and a social support structure all together will exponentially increase a woman’s chances of dealing with postpartum depression successfully. If you believe that you are suffering from postpartum depression, you should contact your health care provider immediately. If left untreated, post partum depression can be seriously debilitating and even lead to worse conditions, such as postpartum psychosis.