September 22, 2017
About 1 in 9 women experiences postpartum depression. (CDC)
Ivanka Trump revealed on the Dr. Oz show that she had some level of postpartum depression after the birth of each of her three children. She wants to bring awareness to this condition since this is something that affects parents all over the country.
One of the things you hear the most from women with postpartum depression is their fear that they aren’t being a good mom. Said Ivanka, “It was a very challenging, emotional time for me because I felt like I was not living up to my potential as a parent or as an entrepreneur and executive. I had had such easy pregnancies that in some way, the juxtaposition hit me even harder. Truthfully, I didn’t know what I was experiencing. I just thought I was failing to be the best version of myself, and it was very hard.”
If you are a new mom and aren’t feeling like yourself, here are some of the common symptoms of postpartum depression to look out for:
Depressed moods
Anxiety
Panic attacks
Mood swings
Sadness
Irritability
Feeling overwhelmed
Excessive crying
Loss of energy or fatigue
Loss of concentration
Trouble sleeping
Loss of appetite
Lack of pleasure or interest in most or all activities
Difficulty bonding with your baby
Withdrawing from family and friends
Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby
Thoughts of death or suicide
To be sure that women are getting the right type of help for postpartum depression, it’s important to understand what causes it so that it can be treated properly, safely and most effectively.
During pregnancy, the placenta produces progesterone at higher levels than your body normally produces. Progesterone is known as the “feel good” hormone. How many times have you heard a woman say how great she felt while she was pregnant? This is why.
Upon the birth of the baby, the placenta is expelled resulting in an immediate drop in a woman’s progesterone level. Meanwhile, estrogen levels remain high, creating a hormonal imbalance. Oftentimes, this imbalance in progesterone and estrogen, referred to as estrogen dominance, does not normalize after childbirth, and causes postpartum depression. The symptoms of estrogen dominance can be weight gain or mood-related symptoms such as anxiety, panic attacks and depression. Estrogen dominance also becomes a catalyst for hypothyroidism, which zaps your energy as a result.
Since the drastic drop in progesterone causes the low moods of postpartum depression, it only makes sense to restore the body’s progesterone levels with bioidentical progesterone that is identical to that made by your body.
There is no shame in admitting that you don’t feel well. Talk about it with your friends and family. It is also important to share this with your doctor so that you can get the help you need. However, be cautioned that conventional doctors often fail to treat the underlying cause of postpartum depression and prescribe drugs like antidepressants. While the intent of the doctor might be well-meaning, antidepressants do not solve the underlying cause of what’s really going on. They may help to mask some of the depression, but the problem still exists.
While this may seem harmless, antidepressants aren’t to be taken lightly. They are addicting drugs with many negative side effects, including more depression, and suicidal and homicidal behavior. Before you let your doctor talk you into taking antidepressants, please do yourself a favor and get evaluated for hormone imbalance first. You aren’t depressed because you have low levels of Prozac in your blood. Treating depression lies in treating the underlying cause, which is often a decline in your hormones.
If you experience any of the symptoms of postpartum depression, don’t ignore your feelings. Be sure to reach out for help and support, and know that there is a solution. At Hotze Health & Wellness Center, we believe in solving the underlying cause of postpartum depression by restoring your hormones with bioidentical hormones. Contact our wellness consultants for a complimentary wellness consultation at 281-698-8698.
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Since 1989, Hotze Health & Wellness Center has helped over 33,000 patients get their lives back using bioidentical hormones that restore hormones to optimal levels, strengthen immune systems, and increase energy levels. Our treatment regimen addresses the root cause of hypothyroidism, adrenal fatigue, menopause, perimenopause, low testosterone, allergies, and candida.
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Thank you Dr. Hotze, for telling women about the cause of post postpartum depression. I find it appalling that the vast majority of our physicians do not treat the cause, but only mask the symptoms with antidepressants, or tell the new Mom that it will pass. Bio-identical Progesterone can make all the difference. Thank you, thank you.