LilSugar

Are Depressed Daddies to Blame For Colicky Babies?

LilSugar — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:00:19 -0700

All babies cry, but parents who have a colicky baby, defined as a child between three weeks and three months old that cries for three hours a day at least three days a week, may have a hard time coping. According to a new study released in the July issue of Pediatrics, dads-to-be who are depressed throughout their partner's pregnancy may be responsible for the crying babes. It said:

Paternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy might be a risk factor for excessive infant crying. This finding could be related to genetic transmission, interaction of a father with lasting depressive symptoms with the infant, or related indirectly through contextual stressors such as marital, familial, or economic distress.

The study followed 7,600 babies and their parents, screening the couples halfway through their pregnancies and two months after the births. In cases where the expectant father was found to be depressed, there was a 1.29 percent higher risk of the baby exhibiting excessive crying. Though the researcher has said that the study is not definitive, the results are interesting.

Baby Bump: It's OK To Be Sick of Being Pregnant

LilSugar — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 13:00:25 -0800

Pregnancy can be one of the most exciting times in a woman's life, but don't be discouraged (or surprised) if your perpetual glow fizzles into nothing more than a flushed face that's short of breath after the first couple of months.

In the beginning, pregnancy is new and fun, but the novelty can wear off for some moms-to-be - and it's completely normal. Don't feel down on yourself if you're sick of being poked and prodded at by the doctor, and by anyone else who feels the need to touch your growing bump. From nausea, to heartburn, to hemorrhoids, to comments such as, "You're huge!" - cooking a bun in the oven is not always easy emotionally or physically, especially as you get down to the last stretch. Just do your best to keep your eye on the prize: your bundle of joy!

If you do start to feel a lil more than just down, you may want to talk to your ob-gyn, as depression does not only happen postpartum. In fact, 10-20 percent of women will experience it at any point during the nine months.

Did you ever get sick of being pregnant? Share your stories in the comments.

Parents of Twins More Likely To Suffer Mental Illness

LilSugar — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 04:01:00 -0700

Parents of twins are more likely to have mental health issues than those who have single born children, according to a recent report.

Finnish researchers tracked parents of about 100 twins and more than 700 single born babies and found the parents of twins had more depression, anxiety and other problems than parents of single born babies. Dr. Laurence Shaw, who worked on the study, didn't seem surprised by the results. He said:

"It's stressful to have a baby, and even more stressful to have more babies...The message is not that parents of twins are nutters.

Shaw added that with the increase of twin births due to artificial reproduction techniques (such as In Vitro Fertilization) he thinks doctors and parents need to be more conscious of the costs of having twins. Sounds like the doc should call Jon and Kate Plus 8 - they know a thing or two about trying to stay sane while raising multiples!

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Maltreatment in Childhood Linked to Depression

babysugar — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 06:01:57 -0700

It's clear the way children are treated is intricately tried to their attitudes and behavior, but a recent study reaffirms the notion that mistreatment during one's early years can have lasting, irreversible consequences.

The study suggests that being maltreated in childhood contributes to the co-occurrence of depression and inflammation later in life. It's a no-brainer study if you ask me, but confirms how childhood experiences play into our mental health later in life and how important it is to play close attention to how your child is being treated. Here's more:

The study found that depressed people with a history of maternal rejection, or physical, sexual or other abuse were twice as likely to have elevated inflammation levels compared with controls. In contrast, depressed people without a history of maltreatment had similar inflammation levels as controls.

The researchers who did the study suggest that history of abuse in childhood may help identify depressed adults with elevated inflammation levels.
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What Do You Know About Postpartum Depression?

LilSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:00:47 -0800

After giving birth some mamas find themselves seeing blue - no matter what the sex of their new baby. Postpartum depression (PPD) is a common side effect of giving birth that, if dealt with properly, can be nothing more than a bump in the road. It's more common that most think. In fact, more than 20 percent of LilSugar readers suffered from PPD. Take the quiz to see how much you know about postpartum depression, but if you feel like you're depressed, it's always a good idea to talk to your doctor.

Take the quiz

Postpartum Depression Indicators May Save Mama From Getting Blue

LilSugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:30:20 -0700

Thanks to stars like Brooke Shields, Gwyneth Paltrow and Amanda Peet, postpartum depression (PPD) is no longer a dirty little secret. All three of the ladies have been open and honest when disclosing their battles with the disorder following the birth of their children. More than simply the "baby blues," PPD is believed to affect between 15 and 20 percent of all mothers. With that many women experiencing PPD, wouldn't it be nice if we knew what caused it so we could try to prevent it? Some Spanish researchers think they can.

A group of scientists believe they have pinpointed a number of factors that will help identify the potential for a new mama to develop the illness with an 80 percent success rate. According to them, the mother's age and her working status throughout her pregnancy can influence the onset of the disease. Older women and expectant gals who worked were found to have lower instances of depression. The study also found that a family history of psychiatric problems and the existence of specific genes in the brain could predict the onset of PPD.

Would knowing these predictors have been helpful to you or a friend who suffered from postpartum depression?

Exclusive Interview: Angie Harmon Talks Postpartum Depression and Halloween

LilSugar — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:00:12 -0700

The list of actresses who've overcome postpartum depression and are willing to share their experience continues to grow. We had the opportunity to speak with Angie Harmon about motherhood and her love of outdoor playspaces for kids yesterday at an event celebrating Huggies' new Little Movers Diapers. The actress, who teamed up with the nappy giant to raise money for KaBOOM! – the non-profit that works with local communities to build parks and playgrounds – told us that she suffered from PPD following the births of each of her three daughters with former NFL star Jason Sehorn. She considers the disorder to be the dirty little secret your friends forget to tell you about motherhood.

We also discussed her daughters' upcoming Halloween costumes. Finley, 5, will be Batgirl because she loves the mask and the cape. Avery, 4, will be Strawberry Shortcake because she loves the pink wig and Emery, 9-months old, will be a blossoming flower.

To see our entire video interview with Angie Harmon, including our discussion of her postpartum depression, read more.

Tell Mommy: What Was Your Toughest Postpartum Moment?

babysugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:05:58 -0800

An inspiration to many mothers who suffer from postpartum depression, superstar mama Brooke Shields continues to give hope to new moms through her raw and honest revelations. A spokesperson for the debilitating disease and depression, she recently spoke at the Hope for Depression Research Foundation in Manhattan where she recalled a harrowing moment in her life. She said:

I finally had a healthy beautiful baby girl and I couldn't look at her... I couldn't hold her and I couldn't sing to her and I couldn't smile at her... All I wanted to do was disappear and die... That was the week I almost did not resist driving my car straight into a wall on the side of the freeway... My baby was in the back seat and that even pissed me off because I thought she's even ruining this for me. I just wanted to drive into the wall and my friend stayed on the phone with me and made me safely get home.

It takes guts to talk about those dark moments but her story undoubtedly gives hope to many women who are having similar experiences. If you care to share, tell us what your toughest postpartum moment was.

Feeling overwhelmed by motherhood? Join our A Place to Vent group over in our LilSugar Community and share your plight with other moms who understand.

Mommy Wellness: Beyond the Baby Blues

LilSugar — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 11:06:51 -0800

When you imagine the days, weeks and months following the birth of your child, you see visions of pink or blue, imagine the sound of your baby’s laugh and try to guess what she will look like. What you don’t fathom is a sense of melancholy that can take control of your life.

Doctors and baby books warn that baby blues occur in 80 percent of mothers following the birth of their child. Postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis are not limited to extreme cases like Susan Smith and Andrea Yates who made national headlines when they murdered their children.

Fifteen to twenty percent of all mothers experience some form of depression and that the onset of the disease is gradual. A close friend of mine and fabulous mother entertained suicide after the birth of her second baby. One of my coworkers knew a woman who ended her own life months after baby number two was born.

To learn more about the symptoms of postpartum depression and psychosis, read more.

According to WebMd, postpartum depression is:

”Postpartum depression is a serious illness that can occur in the first few months after childbirth. It also can happen after miscarriage and stillbirth.

Postpartum depression can make you feel very sad, hopeless, and worthless. You may have trouble caring for and bonding with your baby.

Postpartum depression is not the "baby blues," which many women have in the first couple of weeks after childbirth. With the blues, you may have trouble sleeping and feel moody, teary, and overwhelmed. You may have these feelings along with being happy about your baby. But the "baby blues" usually go away within a couple of weeks. The symptoms of postpartum depression can last for months.”

Postpartum Support International has put together a list of symptoms that new mothers, and their families and friends, should look out for should those baby blues not end after a few weeks. These symptoms include:

Excessive worry or anxiety
Irritability or short temper
Feeling overwhelmed, difficulty making decisions
Sad mood, feelings of guilt, phobias
Hopelessness
Sleep problems (often the woman cannot sleep or sleeps too much), fatigue
Physical symptoms or complaints without apparent physical cause
Discomfort around the baby or a lack of feeling toward the baby
Loss of focus and concentration (may miss appointments, for example)
Loss of interest or pleasure, decreased libido
Changes in appetite; significant weight loss or gain

The most extreme cases of postpartum depression, approximately one to two per thousand cases, are considered to be postpartum psychosis. This disorder has a five percent suicide and four percent infanticide rate. WebMd identifies the disorder as:

”Postpartum psychosis is a rare, severe, and dangerous form of postpartum depression that can suddenly develop within the first 3 weeks following childbirth. A woman with postpartum psychosis may feel detached from her baby and other people; have hallucinations involving smell, touch, sight, or hearing; have thoughts not based in reality (delusions); display bizarre behavior; or have urges to kill herself and her child or children.

Postpartum psychosis is considered a psychiatric emergency requiring immediate hospitalization and treatment”

Obviously, these are devastating disorders that affect the entire family. So make a pact with yourself and your friends to keep an eye on each other, to check in on each other and to watch for the warning signs, so that you and your friends can be treated as early as possible.

Did postpartum depression affect you or someone close to you?

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Could Postpartum Depression Be a Gender Thing?

babysugar — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 09:00:01 -0800

Baby blues can strike any new mum but a recent study, released by the Journal of Clinical Nursing suggested that the baby's sex played a role in postpartum depression. It said:

When we launched our research, our main aim was to study the effect that gender has on PND. But the overwhelming finding of the study was the fact that gender appears to play a significant role in reduced quality of life as well as an increased chance of severe PND.

The study surveyed 181 French women during their four to eight weeks postpartum period. Of those moms, about 16 suffered from postpartum depression. And of that nine percent, over three–quarters had given birth to boys.

To learn more about gender differences and postpartum depression, read more.

Professor Claude de Tychey who led the research, also cited past studies. He said:

Previous studies have shown that women who live in cultures where greater value is placed on sons are more likely to suffer from PND if they give birth to a girl. However, we believe that this study – carried out in a French community where women didn’t face cultural pressures over the sex of their baby – is the first to show that women who give birth to boys are more likely to suffer from severe PND and reduced quality of life.

To that point, in China, where gender favoring is common, the opposite seems to be true. A study performed in China found that women who delivered girls were more prone to postpartum depression. It said:

Because prenatal factors do not appear to have been associated with the occurrence of postpartum depression, the investigators suggest that if a woman gives birth to a girl, a lack of familial support-stemming from a desire for sons to carry on the family name and provide economic support to their parents-may make her more vulnerable to postpartum depression.

Unfortunately, the absolute cause of postpartum depression has not been discovered. Theories and studies may have some validity, but there are so many contributing factors it's hard to pinpoint one - a mother's own gender preference, her family's or country's bias, hormones, economic status, or mental stability - as the culprit.

What are your thoughts on postpartum depression?
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