Effects of Postpartum Depression on Child Bearing and Rearing Family Postpartum depression (PPD) is a major event occurring in eight to fifteen percent of the woman population after delivering their child (Glavin, Smith, Sørum & Ellefsen, 2010). The symptoms and causes of PPD are similar to depression symptoms in other periods of life (Glavin et al., 2010). These symptoms may include feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, loss of interest in daily activities, sleep changes, anger or irritability, loss of energy, self-loathing, reckless behavior and concentration problems. These symptoms may lead to other factors that are detrimental to the child bearing and rearing family. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the effects of PPD in terms of its significance to the health of the family. The scope of this paper will discuss the relation of PPD on child development, children-parent attachment and marital dysfunction. Then, two determinants of health and their relevance to the health issue and, strategies that could be used to promote the health of the family will be discussed. Many factors concerning PPD correlates to child development, two interconnected factors mainly concerning PPD and child development are caregiving and attachment. First, PPD is a health concern for child rearing family because it affects child development adversely. Depressive symptoms such as sadness, pessimism and irritability are the primary negative factors affecting child care. As stated by Stein, Malmberg, Sylva, Barnes & Leach (2008), PPD’s adverse effects to child development are primarily due to poor care giving or negligence. In fact, it is clinically proven that, “children of depressed mothers have increased levels of internalizing and ... ... middle of paper ... ...or women with postpartum depression. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 66(6), 1317-1327. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2648.2010.05263.x Barnes, D. (2006). POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION: ITS IMPACT ON COUPLES AND MARITAL SATISFACTION. Journal of Systemic Therapies, 25(3), 25-42. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Gao, W., Paterson, J., Abbott, M., Carter, S., & Iusitini, L. (2007). Maternal mental health and child behaviour problems at 2 years: findings from the Pacific Islands Families Study. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 41(11), 885-895. doi:10.1080/00048670701634929 Stein, A. A., Malmberg, L. E., Sylva, K. K., Barnes, J. J., & Leach, P. P. (2008). The influence of maternal depression, caregiving, and socioeconomic status in the post-natal year on children's language development. Child: Care, Health & Development, 34(5), 603-612. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2214.2008.00837.x
“Postpartum depression (PPD) is a major form of depression and is less common than postpartum blues. PPD includes all the symptoms of depression but occurs only following childbirth.” stated by William Beardslee, MD is the Academic Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at Children’s Hospital in Boston and Gardner Monks Professor of Child Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.
Numerous studies have been conducted that indicate mothers with depression prior to birth and after birth can affect infant development. These include cognitive, behavioral, social, and emotional aspects. This paper will be examining two articles with similar methodologies and various responses displayed in the participants. Both articles take on similar approaches; however, one article examines how less-competent mothers with depression, negatively influences child behavior and the latter takes on the approach that maternal depression is a psychological response to economic pressures leading to negative responses to a child (Newland, Crnic, Cox & Mills-Koonce, 2013, p. 96). Wang and Dix (2013) examine the levels of depression and differences of behavior in depressed mothers and how this further influences a child’s development. This article found that children with depressed mothers that are highly competent and are able to do tasks efficiently and successfully may develop just as well as children with non-depressed mothers (Wang and Dix., 2013, p. 893). Alternatively, another article examines a variety of maternal psychological symptoms arising from early economic pressures and later parenting behaviors (Newland et al., 2013, p. 96). Furthermore, Newland et al. (2013) suggests that as a result of lower socioeconomic status, both depression and anxiety play a negative role in parenting behaviors (p. 96). Overall, this study suggests that economic hardships and pressures have an indirect influence on parents’ caregiving.
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Early identification is key in the treatment of PPD. Many families may feel ashamed or embarrassed by their feelings and want to conceal them. This is dangerous because PPD can involve thoughts of harm or neglect to the baby. These thoughts can be prevented with early detection from warning signs. Mothers that experience PPD are often at a higher risk for suicide due to negative thoughts and feelings that are untreated. PPD has been treated with cognitive therapies, anti-depressants, and psychotherapy, but a large aspect of aid when bringing home a newborn while experiencing PPD is support. Education before the birth of th...
"Post Partum Depression." Canadian Mental Health Association. Canadian Mental Health Association, 2011. Web. 9 Jul 2011. .
Pregnancies are often correlated with the assumption that it will bring happiness to the household and ignite feelings of love between the couple. What remains invisible is how the new responsibilities of caring and communicating with the baby affects the mother; and thus, many women experience a temporary clinical depression after giving birth which is called postpartum depression (commonly known as postnatal depression) (Aktaş & Terzioğlu, 2013).
Postpartum depression is indeed a major psychological disorder that can affect the relationship between mother and baby. At this time, the cause of postpartum depression is unidentified, although several factors experienced during pregnancy can contribute to this disorder. Fluctuating hormone levels have been traditionally blamed for the onset of postpartum depression. Jennifer Marie Camp (2013), a registered nurse with a personal history of postpartum depression, states in the Intentional Journal of Childbirth Education that “current research demonstrates that PPD may be a compilation of numerous stressors encountered by the family, including biochemical, genetic, psychosocial factors and everyday life stress” (Camp, 2013, p. 1). A previous history of depression, depression during pregnancy, financial difficulties, a dif...
Knowing the symptoms of postpartum depression is critical for a young mother's discovering that she may have the depress...
Mental health conditions developed as a result of divorce include: addictive disorders, learning disorders, personality disorders, and intellectual disabilities (Cuellar). Separation Anxiety Disorder is one of the most prevailing conditions diagnosed in the face of a divorce. The Mental Health Guide defines Separation Anxiety Disorder as, “a condition that causes a child or adolescent extreme distress when he or she is separated from her parents or caregivers”. It is common for children to experience anxiety on occasion and most children have moments of such panic but it does not last for long. Additionally, “because feelings of shame, decrease in self-esteem, self-blame, anxiety and fear may be prevalent for the child of divorce, children from divorced homes often perform academically worse than peers” (Finley). It is not rare for a child to have difficulty focusing on schoolwork due to stress and anxiety. Anxiety can take a toll on the overall well-being and can also cause sleep disruption and a lack of concentration in school. The methods of group therapy have also been known to be a good form of treatment. Group therapy challenges to “communicate with children on issues of importance, providing support, enhancing their skill development, and promoting their mental health” (Rose). Every family and individual will benefit differently from the methods of therapy but it is something to be considered and embarked on due to poor mental and emotional state a child finds themself during and after the
Postpartum depression affects 8-15% of mothers within a few days or weeks after giving birth. Some mothers experience a mild form of this disorder, while others experience a more rare and intense version. This intensified postpartum depression is known as postpartum psychosis. According to the Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and Law, Nau, McNiel, and Binder (2012) express “Postpartum psychosis occurs in 1-2 of 1,000 births and frequently requires hospitalization to stabilize symptoms.” These symptoms include: Hallucinations, restlessness, disturbed sleep, insomnia, drastic mood or behavior change, delusional thinking, thoughts of suicide or death, and extreme depression. In The Journal of Women's Health, Sit, Rothschild, and Wisner described postpartum psychosis as “an overt presentation of bipolar disorder that is timed to coincide with tremendous hormonal shifts after delivery”. Approximately 72%-88% of mothers who experience postpartum psychosis (PP) have bipolar illness, schizo-affective disorder or a family history of either which is why PP is classified as a psychotic disorder by the APAA.
The foundations for a child’s development begins not only in the child’s first year, but also while they are in utero. A child’s development can also be influenced by how much the parents are contributing to the development of the child. A couple that interacts well with one another as well as with the child can have “positive impacts on a child’s cognitive, language and motor development, this can also positively benefit the couple relationship, and the parent-infant relationship,” (Parfitt, Pike, & Ayers, 2013). A parent’s especially a mother’s mental health can greatly impact a child’s development if a mother is less stressed the will be more comfortable around the child creating a better mother-child attachment which also promotes language development. (Parfitt, Pike, & Ayers, 2013). If a father’s is positively involved in a child’s life early on that the child will have a greater reduction in cognitive delays, this is especially true in boys (Parfitt, Pike, & Ayers, 2013). Another positive key in a child’s development comes from the sibling relationships. Siblings help a child learn social, emotional, cognitive and behavioral
Love, warmth, comforting, encouraging support from parents, siblings and other relatives brings the best out of the children. Every family has own style and beliefs which affect child’s development. Parents Aspirations and expectations have fruitful or stressful effects on development. Changes in family relations by divorce or death, redundancy or family financial crisis changes many things in child’s development. Also a child who has not formed an attachment or bonded with a primary carer, or whose attachment has been disrupted, may also be affected, as their feeling of personal identity and security will not develop as
The effects of poverty can affect a parent’s mental health that can directly impact children. Mental health problems that parents in poverty face can be related to the stress of not having enough money to care for the children. Other mental health problems, like depression, can als...