10 Natural Ways To Treat Postpartum Depression

It is estimated that around 70-80 percent of all new mothers experience some kind of negative feelings after the birth of their child. This is known as postpartum depression, which is very common among most women who experience severe mood swings after giving birth.

Postpartum depression can happen to any mother and just like other mental illnesses, it still has a stigma around it. Most women have feelings of inadequacy and sadness, which can turn into a lasting depression. This postpartum depression can hinder the relationship between the mother and child.

An intense physiological and psychological change occur in a mother after giving birth to a child. Experiencing these changes and talking about their emotions and challenges is one of the best ways to cope with postpartum depression.

While some of the mothers experience postpartum depression after 4-5 days of giving birth, some may experience it earlier. Mothers with postpartum depression often experience symptoms that might go unnoticeable.

The symptoms of postpartum depression include insomnia, crying spells, depressed mood, fatigue, anxiety, change in eating habits, etc.

Postpartum depression should be treated as and when it is detected. We will tell you the 10 natural ways to treat postpartum depression.

1. Ask For Help

Most mothers do not want to ask for help due to shyness, but if you are finding it hard, you need to speak out. You can talk to your family and friends who will help you out. They will offer to help you out in taking care of your baby for a while. You will have time for doing other stuff too, like taking rest or spending an hour alone.

2. Sleep

Almost all the mothers who have just given birth lack in proper sleep, because taking care of the newborn is quite a difficult task. And when you go without quality sleep, your ability to function and your mood are directly affected. So, take a little nap when your baby is sleeping and rest yourself to avoid depression.

3. Take A Walk Outside

It is very important for mothers to understand that taking a small stroll outside will freshen up your mind. Don't stay bundled up inside alone, instead take a little short walk with your child to feel the fresh air. Fresh air and sunlight are hard to beat when combating postpartum depression.

4. Exercise

Exercise is therapeutic and a natural treatment for women who show signs of postpartum depression after giving birth. If you can't go jogging outside, grab a workout DVD and you can start working out indoors. You can also do yoga to calm you mentally and it's one of the ways to treat postpartum depression naturally.

5. Food Is Medicine

Don't turn to processed foods for a quick bite due to exhaustion. Instead, consume nutrient-dense foods as much as possible to help recover from postpartum depression. Eating protein-rich foods will help in stabilizing the mood and will boost the production of serotonin. You can also include omega-3 fatty foods to treat postpartum depression.

6. Meditation

Meditation is another way to treat postpartum depression. Take out 20 minutes from your daily schedule and reconnect with yourself. Meditation will drive away the negative thoughts from your mind and let you stay in a relaxed and calm state.

7. Keep Laughing

Laughter is truly the best medicine. It is difficult to laugh when you are under depression. So, to keep yourself in a better mood, tune into a comedy show or watch your favourite sitcom. This will bring a positive aura from within you and will keep you happy.

8. Essential Oils

Essential oils are one of the ways to treat postpartum depression. There are various kinds of essential oils that will help combat anxiety and depression. Essential oils, like lavender and chamomile, are great oils to help calm a depressed mind. You can either spray it in the air or you can diffuse it.

9. Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a holistic health technique and is used as a treatment for depression. Many doctors are recommending acupuncture as a treatment to treat postpartum depression that will help reduce stress, balance hormones and ease anxiety after pregnancy.

10. Spend Quality Time For Yourself

When you have a baby, you totally forget about spending some quality time with yourself. To recover from postpartum depression, it is essential to spend some me-time for yourself. Getting dressed and catching up with friends is also another way to treat postpartum depression.

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