Postpartum Depression: An In-Depth Look Part II

Why Me?

Once the diagnosis of PPD has been established, many women will want to know "Why me?". Women will often believe that if they can understand, or find the "cause" of their depression, they will be able to take control of their lives again. Unfortunately there is usually not just a single cause, but many factors that contribute to multi-dimensional postpartum depression.

It is true that some women are highly sensitive to hormonal changes, and the rapid decrease of estrogen and progesterone that occurs after birth can be their trigger of PPD. The hormonal changes after birth are apparently similar to those experienced by people in combat.** There seems to be a hormonal change which occurs when men and women are in high stress situations. Hormonal changes due to stress may therefore account for some women who become depressed several months after the birth or by women who adopt. For women who breastfeed, the dramatic shift in hormones when they stop breastfeeding can increase or decrease their PPD symptoms, so overall, hormonal changes are not a single cause, only a part of the puzzle.

The number of medical interventions performed during labor and delivery every year occur in unprecedented numbers. There are some very real situations that call for the quick thinking immediate actions of the medical team, situations where communication between the mother and her team can be broken and dictated. This will often leave mothers feeling like they have been violated, abused and worst of all; they can feel like failures for not asserting themselves when chaos approached. The traumatic nature of a birth can be a cause of PPD, but just as many women experience picture perfect labor and deliveries and still experience PPD. Again, it is not one single issue that causes postpartum depression.

There is no answer to the question of "Why me?". Some babies will be difficult and others not. There is no right or wrong time and there is no past experience that tells us that this woman will or this woman will not struggle with her moods and emotions once she becomes a mother. The only way a mother struggling with postpartum depression will regain some control of her life is to have a supportive network of family, friends and care providers. Involvement with local groups that provide peer support to these mothers is often the biggest help of all. It is once they understand they are not the only ones with these thoughts, anxieties or moods, that they can start to feel like there is hope again.


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About the Author Elizabeth is a 28 year old mother and wife living on beautiful Vancouver island. With aspirations toward Women's Health, Elizabeth worked in the Perinatal field (pre-conception, pregnancy, labor and delivery, postpartum) aiming for a degree in Midwifery, however school was eventually put on the back burner. These days, Elizabeth leads a very colourful, and happy life, which is accentuated by her writing, community service and a strong GLTB advocate.

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