Postpartum Mental Health Issues We Don't Talk About

Having a child is life-changing. Priorities shift, identities grow, bodies change—even time seems to flow differently. The challenges, joys, love, and sheer existential whiplash are difficult to describe. As a new parent, I know this wild ride all too well. My own experience, and talking to many parents, have shown me that there are many emotional layers involved in becoming a parent.

Pregnancy and childbirth can be exhilarating. It can also take a tremendous toll on the body and mind.

For women who carry a pregnancy, there are particular hormonal, physical, emotional, and social changes that come roller-coasting through around the time of giving birth. After all, a birth-giving mom is literally creating a human, delivering this delicate thing into the world, and often then nourishing this brand new person with her body.

This process, plus the excitement of everything else that's changing around mother and child, can be exhilarating. It can also take a tremendous toll on the body and mind.

A word about postpartum depression

Fortunately, there is now a lot of awareness about the common experience of postpartum depression, which globally affects about 17 percent of postpartum women who don’t have a history of depression. Postpartum depression is a serious psychological disorder. Ask your doctor about it if you experience these symptoms within a few months of giving birth:

• Persistently low mood
• Difficulty feeling excited or invested
• Difficulty enjoying your baby
• Feelings of shame or guilt that you can't shake
• Thoughts of harming yourself or the baby

There are also lots of good resources at Postpartum Support International.

Lesser-known postpartum mental health conditions

But in this episode, we're going to take a look beyond postpartum depression. We'll talk about some of the other mental health problems that can come up after giving birth. This episode is special because, in addition to our usual science-based programming, I chatted with author Phyllis Grant about her personal experience with some of the postpartum symptoms we’ll talk about.

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