Postpartum Depression Pamphlet Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Postpartum Depression Pamphlet - Assignment Example It is the professional calling of the medical staff to inform every pregnant mother well in time, as if she is among those 1 of the 10, likely to be affected by postpartum depression. Even if she is not the one, the knowledge about the salient features of the pamphlet is invaluable. The personal experience of Sebastian is an eye-opener for all the mothers. She recalls â€Å"After all, I had wanted this baby very much. So even though I thought I was prepared, I was caught off guard by the roller coaster of my moods† (p.1). So it is desirable for each woman to familiarize with the various issues related to postpartum depression and face the eventuality boldly and with fortitude. The list is not exhaustive and contains some introductory features. The medical fraternity knows that each individual is different and as such the issues have varying impacts, depending upon the level of progression of a particular person who needs the services. 1. About 10 percent of the women are going to suffer from postpartum depression. Imagine for a while that you are going to be one of them. If you are not one, it is still advisable for you to own the knowledge as you can always share this precious advice for the benefit of your friends and relatives when the occasion demands. Sebastian cautions â€Å"If new mothers and their families realize that depression and anxiety are possible, they may seek early treatment before the symptoms worsen† (p.13). Such mothers have a new responsibility of a life that has just arrived on Planet Earth. 2. Prevention is always better than cure and as such you need to identify the symptoms. 3. Notice the mood change and some sort of sinking feelings in the first or second week after the birth of the child. 4. The duration of the state of depression may be well up to twelve months barring extreme cases when it will be of longer duration. 5. From the point of view of treatment, each woman is different, each one is special. 6. PPD can be a transmitted phenomenon, meaning family history counts. 7. If the problem has been there during the first pregnancy, it may recur during the second and subsequent pregnancies. 8. Do introspection and you are likely to get answers for some of the issues. Your problem may be due to an unwanted pregnancy, a complicated child birth and a child being born with acute ailments. 9. The Joint Family System is an element of fiction now. The young couple believes in the concept of ‘it is my life and I’ll live it according to my choices’. Whether that approach is right or wrong is another issue. When the first flush of infatuation-dominated love is over, the realities related to the married life come to the fore. With the arrival of one little baby, the entire perception of life changes drastically. Now the mother has to face the caretaking responsibility of her newborn with little or no help, and she regrets for having isolated herself from the elders of the family. When the outside world is not actively co-operating with her in her hour of need, she develops postpartum depression. 10. Hormonal changes that happen during and after pregnancy are the contributing factors. 11. Bouts of depression are normal part of life. The new mother thinks about the consequences of enormous responsibility that she has been