Avoid PPD With Seven Simple Steps?

by | 3 comments

I guess I missed an article in U.S. News & World Report in late May called "7 Steps to Stop Postpartum Depression". I think they were covering the issue of PPD because of the recent news about men getting it too, and I’m glad to see it discussed in a major news magazine. I have to say the article bothers me a bit, though. I did all of the things the article cites — attend childbirth class, get your life in order, etc., etc. — and I still got a postpartum mood disorder. I hate for anyone to think that they’ve somehow failed if they do "all the right things" and still become ill. I do agree that it is important to have healthy relationships and a healthy understanding of the enormous changes you will face as a new parent, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t get hit by the PPD truck. What they failed to mention, which I think is even more important, is that you and those around you should learn ahead of time about the symptoms of postpartum mood disorders and plan in advance for who to call and what to do if they show up.

3 Comments

  1. Val
    Val on June 16, 2008 at 8:56 pm

    Yeah…. That's just a little too simplistic.
    And for men or women, often there are triggers that you just can't stave off: From my situation, my husband's deployment. Neither of us could fix that. Enlisting help is difficult in a military community when you're far away from home. And you know, what I wouldn't give for the pain of losing my Mom three years ago to not have still been plaguing me throughout my pregnancy and after.
    7 Easy steps is almost always too good to be true, but I think especially with PPD.

    Reply
  2. Diane
    Diane on June 17, 2008 at 11:35 am

    Oh dear. Simplistic indeed. And just one more thing to add to the "if you'd only do/done this you could have avoided ppd" basket.
    There's another topic–what DID we Warrior Chicks DO to try to manage our feelings of "going crazy"?

    Reply
  3. mlm
    mlm on June 18, 2008 at 9:34 pm

    Here is what also bugs me about the article:
    "hospital-based childbirth class", why does it have to be hospital-based?!
    Planning ahead is great, but really, you can never really exactly predict what it will be like or what each child will be like.

    Reply

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