What can Naturopathic Medicine do for Postpartum Depression?
1. Nourish the body and balance blood sugar with nutrition 2. Balance Hormones with diet, herbs, and supplements 3. Nurture Yourself – You deserve it! 4. Address unexpressed feelings and your need for support There has been recent media attention to the severity of postpartum depression following the tragic death of Winnipeg mother, Lisa Gibson and her two children. A study recently published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that women living in urban areas of greater than 500,000 people were more likely to experience postpartum depression with social support being cited as one important factor. Depression following birth can range from the ‘baby blues’ to postpartum depression to the more serious postpartum psychosis. Around 80% of women will experience some form of baby blues following delivery up to two weeks. 10-15% will go on to experience something more severe. Individuals who are at risk include those with the following issues: History of depression or postpartum depression History of moderate to severe PMS Family history of postpartum depression Traumatic experience during birth Sleep deprivation Lack of marital support History of abuse Poor relationship with close family members particularly a parent Lifestyle stress Lack of emotional and social support after birth Hormonal imbalance in the thyroid gland, with progesterone or estrogen Depending on the severity of a woman’s condition, conventional medical treatment may be necessary and should be sought out immediately. However for milder forms of depression there are many naturopathic therapies that can help prevent (during pregnancy) and ameliorate depressive symptoms after birth. 1. Nourish your body and balance your blood sugar with nutrition Improve vitamin and mineral status: during pregnancy and breastfeeding, the growing baby places a high demand on the mother’s nutrients. A woman can become quite [...]
