Four Benefits of Therapy for Postpartum Mothers
For new mothers, the postpartum period officially lasts from the time of delivery to six weeks after the birth. However, the challenge of adapting to new experiences may extend long past that time. In this post, we’ll cover the challenges of this period, including three mental health conditions new mothers may face: postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, and postpartum posttraumatic stress. We’ll then outline four ways therapy with a trained psychologist can help new mothers navigate the transformations of the postpartum period.
Postpartum Challenges
New mothers face a complex set of demands. These challenges include the intense schedule and learning curve of caring for a newborn alongside physical changes such as hormonal shifts, fatigue, and recovery from the birth itself (like soreness from vaginal tearing). Many of these challenges are also emotional; for instance, the postpartum period can force women to build a new sense of identity. Here are a few mental health issues that new mothers might experience, which reflect the emotional difficulties of this period:
1. Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression is a common problem among new mothers, impacting 10% to 15% of postpartum women. While most women who have given birth experience some negative emotions—like mood swings, crying, or trouble sleeping—in some cases, these emotions may be very intense or consistent. Symptoms of postpartum depression include intense mood swings, feelings of sadness, changes in appetite, trouble sleeping, irritability, and difficulty coping in daily life. Postpartum depression may also come with trouble bonding with a child, worry about being a bad mother, or thoughts of harming oneself or the newborn.
Postpartum depression can stem from a variety of factors. Women who previously experienced depression may be at increased risk for postpartum depression. Experiencing life stress, lacking social support, or having medical complications during pregnancy can all feed into postpartum depression. However, in some cases, the cause may not be clear; women may develop postpartum depression even without any prior history of mental health issues.
It’s important for women experiencing postpartum depression to seek help, both for their well-being and for the long-term health of their child.
2. Postpartum Anxiety
Postpartum anxiety is another mental health challenge new mothers may face. Although postpartum anxiety is less discussed than postpartum depression, it may actually impact a greater number of mothers, and is frequently undiagnosed.
It’s normal for new mothers to sometimes worry about their abilities as a parent and long-term consequences of their parenting choices. These feelings may grow into postpartum anxiety when they impact a woman’s functioning. Symptoms of postpartum anxiety include fatigue, irritability, tension, trouble concentrating, and insomnia.
Women with a history of anxiety or PTSD, or who lack social support, are particularly at risk for postpartum anxiety. As in the case of postpartum depression, many of the physical changes that occur following childbirth may influence postpartum depression. For instance, there is an increase in stress hormones during pregnancy that can continue to impact women in the postpartum period.
Postpartum anxiety can increase a woman’s risk of developing other health problems and can interfere with a woman's ability to engage with the newborn. Therefore, it’s important for people with postpartum anxiety to receive supportive care.
3. Postpartum Posttraumatic Stress
Beyond anxiety and depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common among postpartum women; it is estimated to impact anywhere from 1% to 30% of women. In some cases, childbirth itself can be traumatic. Trauma from childbirth can occur because of unexpected medical procedures (such as an emergency C-section), a feeling of loss of control during birth, failures in the informed consent process for the mother, or experiences of extreme pain during birth. In other cases, women with previous trauma may have trauma triggered again following childbirth.
Symptoms of postpartum PTSD can include having nightmares about the birth experience or reliving the memory. Women with this form of PTSD may avoid things that remind them of the birth experience. Another symptom is extreme worry that the baby will be hurt; this can especially occur in cases in which the baby required medical care during the birth.
Recovering From Birth
As mothers navigate postpartum life, it is important for them to have a space to share their experiences with birth and parenthood. Without this sharing, women may feel lonely or worry about their parenting skills. Self-care is also important for postpartum women, who may focus on the needs of the newborn and neglect their own. Self-care includes a focus on physical recovery, emotional adjustment, and healthy lifestyle habits.
Women facing postpartum challenges can also often benefit from therapy, including methods such as mindfulness-based therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. Here are some of the ways individual therapy with a psychologist supports women in the postpartum period:
1. Building confidence
Many women in the postpartum period doubt their parenting choices or compare themselves to others. Therapy for new mothers can significantly improve their self-confidence and self-esteem. This allows them to become more relaxed, develop a more positive outlook, feel more in control of their lives, and ultimately improve their relationship with their child.
2. Coping with challenges
Learning mindfulness and other coping skills in therapy helps women manage the inevitable challenges of the postpartum period. These challenges might include uncomfortable emotions, body image concerns, or feelings of judgment from others who provide well-intentioned parenting advice. Mindfulness helps women accept and adjust to changes, gain emotional awareness, and take better care of themselves.
3. Strengthening relationships
All of the skills mentioned above can benefit a new mother’s relationships. The use of mindfulness skills can help women be present in the moment, which improves their relationships with their partners and infants. In addition, many women who engage in postpartum therapy report a more positive bond with their child.
4. Reducing anxiety and depression
For women struggling with high levels of anxiety and depression in the postpartum period, therapy with a trained psychologist is an effective treatment. This type of therapy can help decrease stress and reduce debilitating symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Conclusion
The postpartum period is a time of adaptation. Mothers struggling during this period, especially with depression, anxiety, or trauma, may benefit from therapy. Therapy in the postpartum period can help new mothers build their confidence, cope with challenges, strengthen their relationships, and reduce feelings of anxiety and depression.
Frequently Asked Questions
What mental health challenges are common in the postpartum period?
Three common mental health challenges for postpartum mothers are postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, and postpartum posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Mothers with the symptoms of any of these challenges may benefit from therapy with a trained psychologist.
How can a therapist help in the postpartum period?
Therapy helps new mothers by significantly improving confidence and self-esteem and by teaching coping skills, such as mindfulness, to manage challenges. These skills also help strengthen relationships with both the partner and the infant by increasing the mother's presence in the moment. Ultimately, therapy is an effective treatment for reducing the debilitating symptoms of both anxiety and depression.