Having a baby is intense. It can be at once awe inspiring, deeply spiritual and simultaneously bring you to your knees with overwhelm and stress. To state the obvious, for most mamas, it’s not all rainbows and sunshine. Pregnancy can be a magical, transformational, and overwhelming time, and the days after giving birth can feel like a wild emotional roller coaster as you learn to adjust to the demands of motherhood and the changes to your identity. Most mammas experience some version of the “baby blues” after having a baby, bringing you joy, happiness, and awe one minute and sadness and anger the next. 

For many women, the baby blues fade in the first few days after birth. But for others, these feelings are more intense and tend to stick around. If you’re struggling with intense emotional symptoms and stress weeks, months (or even years!) post-birth, you’re likely suffering from postpartum depression. Please know that you are not alone — postpartum depression can impact one in seven women. I want you to know that no matter what you’re struggling with, you can get through it. I’ve been there, I get it, I can help.

What Is Postpartum Depression?

Postpartum depression is far more intense and lasts longer than the baby blues. It usually sets in two to eight weeks after giving birth, but it can show up anytime in the first year after having a baby. 

During pregnancy, your body does incredible things — after all, growing a whole person is no small feat! During pregnancy, your levels of estrogen and progesterone rise as high as they’ll ever be. And after birth, these hormone levels rapidly return to normal. Research shows that this sudden drop in hormone levels could be a contributing factor to postpartum depression, as well as having a history of trauma, anxiety and/or depression, and lack of a strong support systems.

Having a new baby turns changes your entire world. Your new babe can bring financial and social stress, and it’s common for new mothers to mourn the loss of their pre-baby lifestyles (hello mom grief!!). You may feel like you’re not as attractive as you were before giving birth, or like you’re not the person you were before having a baby. When being a mother feels like it’s your whole identity, It can be tough to feel connected to who you are outside of motherhood.

Who Does Postpartum Depression Affect?

Postpartum depression can affect anyone — even men! In fact, studies show that nearly 10% of men experience depression around the time their baby is born. And there is a high probability if you are struggling with postpartum depression, so is your partner. While there’s not one specific reason that an individual may suffer from postpartum depression, there are some risk factors that could make a person more susceptible, including:

1. A personal or family history of depression and/or anxiety

2. Limited social support

3. Getting less than 3 hour chunks of sleep at a time (sleep deprivation)

4. Marital or relationship stress

5. Pregnancy and/or birth complications

6. Ambivalence about the pregnancy

7. Having a baby with special needs

Postpartum depression doesn’t only impact the person suffering from the condition — it can affect your relationships with your partner and your baby as well. You might find it hard to care for yourself and your baby, and may miss important signs that you or your baby needs additional medical or emotional care and support.

If you’re struggling with postpartum depression, please know that it’s not your fault, and that there’s nothing to be ashamed of. This motherhood job is TOUGH, and struggling postpartum is not a character flaw. Help is available, and healing is possible. Finding support during this time is crucial, and getting treatment for postpartum depression is the best thing you can do for yourself and your baby. 

What Are the Symptoms of Postpartum Depression?

Some of the symptoms of postpartum depression are similar to the usual and expected symptoms of depression, and some may surprise you! They can range from mild to severe and can include:

1. Feeling angry and irritable

2. Lack of interest or desire to bond with your baby

3. Feelings of guilt, shame, or hopelessness

4. Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby (intrusive thoughts)

5. Changes in appetite

6. Difficulty sleeping

7. Crying and sadness

8. Loss of interest in things that previously brought you joy or pleasure

9. Postpartum rage is real. If you are feeling surprised at the intense rage you’re experiencing this is a very telling symptom of PPD.

The thing is, many moms don’t realize they are struggling with postpartum depression and can keep their stress a secret. Many women who are struggling with postpartum depression don’t always seem depressed, and can feel pressured to conceal their feelings because they fear judgment, having their feelings dismissed or that someone will assume they are unfit to be a mom (NOT TRUE, no matter how hard it feels right now). Many moms feel like they shouldn’t be anything but overjoyed during this time in their lives. If this is you, please reach out for help or tell a trusted friend what’s going on for you. PPD doesn’t typically go away on its own, but it is something that you can recover from. Finding yourself in motherhood again, and actually enjoying motherhood is possible!

There’s also a ridiculous cultural expectation that transitioning to motherhood should be easy. Nothing could be further from the truth! I’ve never met a mom who transitioned to motherhood without facing some of the biggest challenges and growing pains of her life. Society puts an unrealistic pressure on women to be the “perfect” mothers. When you’re inundated with all the parenting blogs, books, and advice from influencers, it can be a struggle to develop and trust your own mama intuition. And the media’s portrayal of postpartum depression is often negative and shrouded in shame. 

Here at The Holistic Counseling Center, we’re breaking the stigma around postpartum depression. We’re here to tell you that what you’re feeling does not make you a bad mother. It’s not a character flaw. If you’re struggling with postpartum depression, holistic postpartum therapy can help to support your mind, body, and spirit as you learn to embrace your new role as a mother.

How Holistic Postpartum Depression Therapy Can Help

Holistic postpartum depression therapy offers a comprehensive approach for women struggling with the symptoms of postpartum depression. Rather than focusing solely on the mind, holistic therapy recognizes the interconnectedness of your mind, body, and spirit. When we address the whole person, we’re able to provide a more personalized and complete approach to treatment.

Through postpartum therapy, we’ll work together to help you connect with yourself and honor the process of bringing new life into the world. Our postpartum therapists will help you strengthen your mind-body connection and practice self-care so that you can learn to parent from a place of joy and love. Postpartum depression therapy can help you process and integrate your experiences from pregnancy and the birthing experience and learn to deeply love and trust yourself. It can help you access your intuition and inner wisdom and be the mom you want to be.

Postpartum Depression Therapy at the Holistic Counseling Center in El Dorado Hills

Here at The Holistic Counseling Center, all of our postpartum depression therapists are also mamas. You can rest assured that we’ve been through it, and we get it! Our therapists have also received advanced training in Maternal Mental Health from Postpartum Support International.

If you’re struggling with postpartum depression, we’re here to tell you that you are not broken. No matter what challenges you’re facing, you don’t have to go through them alone. To get started with postpartum depression therapy, the first step is to book your no-cost consultation call with our intake coordinator. We’ll get you matched with the perfect postpartum therapist for you. We are accepting new patients for in-person appointments in El Dorado Hills, and remote appointments are available for anyone located within the state of California.

We’re here to support you as you adjust to the wild ride that is motherhood!

-Kim

P.S. Be sure to download our free guide — 10 Self-Care Practices for New Moms.

Meet Kim

Kim Burris is a licensed holistic psychotherapist, founder of The Holistic Counseling Center, and author of ‘The First 90 Days After Birth.’

She honors the mind, body, spirit connection and offers evidence-based treatment with a heart centered approach, integrating the depth of western psychology with the heart and soul of eastern mysticism.

Kim and her team currently offer holistic counseling to individuals in El Dorado Hills, CA and online. Click HERE to book a no-cost consultation call.