Postpartum Depression Resources And Links

[AnnetteG]

Depression can be described as feeling sad, blue, unhappy, miserable, or down in the dumps. Most of us feel this way at one time or another for short periods. But true clinical depression is a mood disorder in which feelings of sadness, loss, anger, or frustration interfere with everyday life for an extended time. Depression can be mild, moderate, or severe. The degree of depression, which your doctor can determine, influences how you are treated.

Depression that occurs during pregnancy or within a year after delivery is called perinatal or postpartum depression (PPD). The exact number of women with depression during this time is unknown. But researchers believe that depression is one of the most common complications during and after pregnancy. Often, the depression is not recognized or treated, because some normal pregnancy changes cause similar symptoms and are happening at the same time. Tiredness, problems sleeping, stronger emotional reactions, and changes in body weight may occur during pregnancy and after pregnancy. But these symptoms may also be signs of depression.

Approximately 15-20 percent of pregnant women experience depression.

Of those that do not receive treatment for depression, about 15 percent are so severely depressed that they attempt suicide and in rare cases take their children with them.


IF YOU ARE IN CRISIS AND NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO IMMEDIATELY PLEASE CALL:

1-800-PPD-MOMS or 1-800-773-6667

This is a Mom to Mom peer counseling network and they will help you. Your call will be routed to a peer who has experienced PPD instead of a crisis line worker who has not. It was founded in the memory of a PPD mom.

You can also call your local ER, sheriff's office, physician, 911, your spouse, parents, friends, neighbors, co-workers... ANYONE who can help you immediately and offer you support.


Here is a list of online resources:

www.postpartum.net is the website for Postpartum Support International. They have an amazing list of local support groups with phone numbers not only for the US and Canada but also worldwide.

www.postpartum.org is the website for Pacific PostPartum Support Society in Canada. They have a great list of support groups and phone numbers.

www.Mommy-Muse.com provides online 'new mommy' counseling (for a fee) for everything from Mommy Shock to PPD.

www.postpartumstress.com website for The Postpartum Stress Center with lists of resources as well as a message board.

CLICK HERE to read success stories on our own PPD board here at FertileThoughts.

If you have more websites, resources, information to list, please feel free to post your information here or PM me and I'll gladly add it to the list.