Having a new baby can be exciting, joyful…and sometimes scary and overwhelming. Many new moms experience the “baby blues” after childbirth because of the hormonal and chemical changes in your body. But some new moms experience more than just mood swings and crying spells…up to 15% of new moms experience postpartum depression.
Having postpartum depression doesn’t mean that you don’t love your baby or want to be a good mom. It isn’t a sign of weakness or anything to be ashamed of. It’s just a complication of birth – and it’s treatable.
The first step is to tell someone how you’re feeling! If you had another medical condition, you’d treat it. But women are often embarrassed to admit that they are having difficulty with their newborn. True postpartum depression won’t just go away. You need to talk to someone who can diagnosis it and help you through it.
Signs and symptoms of Postpartum Depression (PPD) can be emotional, behavioral, or physical:
- Anxiety
- Unpredictable tearfulness and crying spells
- Restlessness and agitation
- Major sleep disturbance or difficulties (too much or too little)
- A feeling of hopelessness or worthlessness
- Strong sense of inadequacy, guilt, failure
- Difficulty concentrating
- Neglecting yourself, your environment, or your infant
- Feelings which may not have been an issue with your other child that are now overwhelming
We Can Help
Our qualified staff can help you. Lisa Ramos is a board certified ARNP who specializes in postpartum depression. Prior to becoming an advanced nurse practitioner, Lisa was a Postpartum-Mother infant care nurse for a decade. She also taught maternal child nursing at St. Petersburg College for almost 5 years and has served as a lactation consultant. Her post-graduate studies concentrated on using evidenced based strategies for identifying and treating PPD; from individual therapy to pharmacological intervention. And, as a mother of three children, Lisa truly understands the issues facing mothers today.
We’re a child friendly office! Your baby and other children are welcome at your appointments. We have private waiting rooms with TVs and toys…and our caring staff will make sure you and your children are comfortable so YOU can be the focus of the appointment and get the help YOU need.
There is hope…
and we’re here to help.