Suffering from feelings of anxiety or an anxiety disorder after childbirth
After nine months full of midwifery appointments, puff classes and pregnancy yoga, you bring a beautiful baby into the world. You enjoy the baby's first weeks immensely. The baby is the most beautiful and the sweetest. But after a few weeks, your feelings change. You worry more and more about whether the baby is healthy, what the cry means, why the baby does not sleep through the night and whether he/she is drinking enough. These worries keep you more and more busy until you can't think about anything else all day and can't even sleep because of it. You feel restless and hyperactive, but at the same time exhausted. From your family and friends you hear more and more often the question whether you are okay and that you don't have to worry so much. But when do you worry too much?
Difference Between Postpartum Depression and Postpartum Anxiety Disorder
Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety. Poor sleep, difficulty relaxing, fatigue, and lack of interest and pleasure are symptoms that occur in both cases. People with postpartum depression often also experience anxiety symptoms, but people with an anxiety disorder do not always have depressive feelings. They may worry, be overly worried, feel overwhelmed, and sometimes literally can't sit still because of the hyper-alertness. Sometimes it is so severe that it negatively affects daily life. Panic attacks or obsessive-compulsive disorder also occur and can be very frightening for a young mother.
The treatment of depression is different from the treatment of an anxiety disorder. It is therefore important to make the diagnosis correctly - especially since depression is quickly thought of.
When do feelings of anxiety arise after childbirth?
Feelings of anxiety can arise immediately after childbirth or even before childbirth, but also much later. Sometimes someone is just worried at first, but this turns into a more extreme form of over-concern. People can keep going with this for a long time until the moment it is no longer possible.
What are the causes of a postpartum anxiety disorder?
It's hard to pinpoint a cause, but there are a few clues. During pregnancy, the brain actually shrinks due to the enormous hormonal changes you go through. Your brain really changes. An expectant mother becomes more alert and puts her own needs aside for the baby. Also during childbirth itself, a lot changes in the body on a hormonal level. The hormone progesterone drops very quickly after childbirth, which can have a negative impact on mood. The hormone oxytocin, the 'cuddle hormone', is produced to make you feel comfortable. The alertness you have after childbirth is normal. After all, you've had a baby, so you want to make sure everything goes well. But sometimes that goes too far and anxiety symptoms arise which affect daily life too much.
If you are naturally a more anxious person or if you experienced anxiety during pregnancy, you are slightly more likely to keep these feelings after giving birth or to worsen them. Perfectionism can also trigger feelings of anxiety. Perfectionism causes feelings of 'am I doing it well enough' or 'I did it wrong' etc and that can actually increase anxiety. Especially in the society in which we live, a lot is expected. You are supposed to know 'everything' while that is of course impossible.
Lifestyle and stress in particular also play a major role. For example, if you have experienced an intense or traumatic birth and/or you did or do not feel supported and safe, your body will give a stress response. Your body and brain receive a signal to be even more alert and that can actually increase feelings of fear.
What can you do about feelings of anxiety after childbirth?
There are a few things you can do yourself to reduce (mild) feelings of anxiety.
Cuddle as much as possible with your baby and the nearest people around you. Cuddling releases the hormone oxytocin, which can reduce anxiety
Get outside and move. Exercise is good medicine for your brain. Walking, yoga and pilates make you stronger without stressing your body too much.
There is more and more evidence that how you feel is largely determined in your gut, so take any intestinal complaints seriously. Make sure you eat a healthy diet and make sure you make up for any nutritional deficiencies during the postpartum period. Vitamin D and omega 3 fatty acid deficiency often occurs.
Sleep. Sounds crazy with a baby, but try to sleep undisturbed for 4 hours every day. If necessary, sleep in separate rooms (from your partner) so that you are not disturbed by your partner and alternate the 'turns' if possible.
Reach out to other young mothers. Isolation is your enemy, so keep seeking out people you feel comfortable with.
Ask for help, there's nothing wrong with that. You don't have to do it all on your own. It takes a village to raise a child!
If possible, take a warm bath every now and then with preferably magnesium flakes. That helps to relax your muscles.
Try breathing exercises to relax. That way you can train your body to relax again. Try to do this a few times a day and at least before you go to sleep at night. For some, meditation works well, but if you suffer a lot from anxiety, this seems like an impossible task. Then don't do it.
Mindfulness can certainly help with anxiety as well. You learn to be in the here and now. Through exercises you get a better grip on negative thoughts and emotions, but you also learn to know and indicate your limits. You also practice focusing on what you do want to experience and accepting what is there. You can also do this together with your partner.
Be kind to yourself. Have faith in your inner strength as a young mother that you know what's right for you and the baby. Leave the pressure of the world around you for what it is.
Do you suffer from feelings of guilt and shame? You are not alone, if do not feel like yourselves after birth, the midwife or GP can refer you to resources.It's important that you take yourself seriously,
Medication
Als de tips hierboven onvoldoende helpen dan kunnen medicijnen in ongeveer de helft van de gevallen een goede oplossing zijn. Soms werken antidepressiva of benzodiazepinen (benzo’s) - in combinatie met cognitieve gedragstherapie - goed maar lang niet bij iedereen. Als je borstvoeding geeft is het verstandig om dit goed door te spreken met jouw behandelend arts. De meeste van dit soort medicijnen worden namelijk (deels) doorgegeven aan de baby via de moedermelk.
If the tips above do not help enough, medication can be a good solution in about half of the cases. Sometimes antidepressants or benzodiazepines (benzos) - in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy - work well, but not for everyone. If you are breastfeeding, it is wise to discuss this with your doctor. Most of these types of medicines are (partially) passed on to the baby through breast milk.
Finally! Above all, be kind to yourself and don't try to live up to the ‘perfect picture’. It is an intense time after childbirth and for most people it is not a 'pink cloud'. Feelings of anxiety are common and fortunately these also pass with time.
Talk to the midwife or go to your doctor if you do not feel well. They can help you further. It's important not to dwell on these feelings for too long.
