Yesterday I became aware of a newly published study in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology on how the season you give birth may have an affect on whether you get postpartum depression.
It found thatwomen who gave birth in October through December were about twice as likely to have symptoms of postpartum depression after 6 weeks and 6 months as those who had children in April through June. The study looked at 2,000 women in Sweden, and it was noted by the researchers in a story on FOX News that, " …compared to most countries, Sweden has a much bigger difference in its amount of daylight in winter versus summer. For that reason, the effect of the seasons on rates of postpartum depression might be more obvious there."
I always have a healthy level of skepticism when people start reporting widely that some link has been found to explain what causes postpartum depression. I'm not a scientist and I'm not a doctor. I just like asking questions, and I'm fortunate to have access to all of you who have survived these illnesses. So, in a very short-lived, un-scientific poll I asked all of you yesterday to tell me both here and on Twitter, in which month you experienced a perinatal mood disorder did you have your baby. I got 93 responses, which ain't bad, and here's how it played out:
January 1
February 8
March 10
April 15
May 4
June 6
July 9
August 10
September 8
October 13
November 3
December 6
Take from this what you will. 😉
I missed this poll! my PPOCD started in December. seven months AFTER I gave birth. In therapy we discussed the fact that the winter was probably causing me problems because I was stuck indoors all the time. ( I live in a VERY VERY snowy region). Part of my therapy was "getting out" (not that I lived like a hermit by any means!). But, if I was having a real bad day I needed to change my scenery immediately by being around others. My therapist told me to go walk around a mall, or a store. It really links you back to yourself doing by so.
This is a timely article for me.
I just discussed with my psychiatrist PPD prevention and treatment for the next time I get pregnant. We discussed meds etc. and she told me that people with depression sometimes have a hard time starting around Labor Day with the lack of sunshine. As someone who is affected by lack of sun, she suggested I try out a Sun Lamp. She gave me one to try for a couple of weeks and it helped with the lack of sun we are experiencing here in Wisconsin. It has the full spectrum of the sun's rays without the Ultra Violet rays. Although I agree that PPD can happen anytime, for some people it can be magnified by lack of sun. Here is a website for the lamps: http://sunbox.com/products/lighttherapyproducts.h…
I thought I would share it because I think a lot about when I want to get pregnant again and believe the timing makes a difference for me mentally and emotionally. I also believe that just one thing won't make things better but a combination. For me, it will probably be meds, talk therapy and sunlight exposure.
Thanks!
I thought your poll would show I am an odd one out with PPD PPA in August, but seems pretty normal.
I can't believe I missed the poll! Where was I yesterday? I hadn't heard about the study yet but I felt having a winter baby definitely had an effect on me. I gave birth Dec. 2 and by mid January it was clear I was struggling with PPD. Official diagnosis came the first week of Feb. We live A. in an area where it snows all winter and B. in a neighborhood with no sidewalks so just getting out for some fresh air or sun wasn't exactly an easy task. I don't think the timing 'caused' my PPD but I do believe it had a big effect.
I guess I can see where they were trying to go with this, but I think it's pretty weak, at best.
Personally? I was one that answered April. And I actually had my son during an abnormal heat wave in NY. It was in the 90's when I had him. Definitely no winter-like weather!
Regardless, I DIDN'T get out much with him when he was little. Maybe that was, in fact, part of it…that I felt like I was missing out on beautiful weather and instead was cooped up inside, when I normally wouldn't be? Not sure.
I'd actually love to have a winter baby next time around, I'd like to shoot for November. I'm hoping that will actually HELP, since I'll WANT to be inside all cozied up, you know?
I thought this too – my LO was born at the end of January, but despite normally wanting to curl up by the fire, I *had* to get out of the house, which was really hard when all of the doctors/well meaning relatives don't want you to take the baby outside (because it's cold), or to a crowded place like the mall "just-in-case" they got sick. I was out walking around our neighborhood in below freezing weather within 2 days of giving birth – baby and all (well bundled up!)
I've had four babies and struggled through PPD with two of them. The first a June baby and the second a July baby. The two that didn't seem to hit me as hard were the end of August and October. I don't really know if the weather is a factor or not…but I'm pregnant with number 5 and due in November and am praying for the best but also trying to prepare for it all happening again.
Looking at the informal survey above, I note variations among the months but I wonder how much natural fluctuations in birthrates would effect the PPMD results. E.g., I know that October is hella-busy in the baby birthin' world and, not surprisingly, it is the second largest month here for PPMDs. It makes me wonder if the Swedish study accounted for this, because maybe in Sweden winter is the baby-boom time of year (as opposed to fall here in the U.S., when all of those holiday conceptions come to fruition).
We timed number two to be a sping baby (instead of November like number 1) and so far no signs of PPD/A/OCD coming back!
I didn't respond to the survey because I'm just seeing it now, but I was a March delivery with PPD/A that manifested itself pretty quickly upon delivery. And because I like to find meaning where sometimes there truly is just a random occurrence in order to make sense of the world, if I "interpret" this data, it seems to me that seasonal shifts and temperature changes are occurring during the months of highest reported deliveries.
While I think their study is anecdotal at best, it's an interesting find. It doesn't mean I'm going to be attempting to plan to birth at one of the lower times of the year, though.
Thanks for sharing, Katherine!
I miss it too!! My son was born October 4th and I began PPD symptoms in March. The winter was hell, and I remember starting to feel a little better when I was able to feel warm weather and was able to take walks outside. Regardless, I still feel it till this day years later, but that is what I remember…
Christina
My Kids were born October, december, October. With my first one I am not sure If I had PPD, but with my 2 last I did and still have. I do notice that during winter time I get more gloomy and spring where i have some sort of lift, but not much.
I have five children and had PPD with all of them. 2 Jan, 1 Dec, 1 Apr, 1 Jn. I live in SoCal so I am not shut in during the winter months at all. However, I do know that I HAD to get out of the house. I spent the first two years of my oldest's life at the park. We had one near our house and I walked him the three blocks nearly every day it wasn't raining. It is probably what helped us live through those years.