What can cause Postpartum Depression?

I had a severe case of postpartum depression(PPD) with my first and a lesser case with my middle two kids. What caused it and what could I have done to prevent it? 

There are three main causes of PPD: a traumatic birth experience, lack of support, and physical/emotional changes. These don’t guarantee that a mother will get postpartum depression, but they do significantly increase her chances. 

Some aspects of traumatic births can be prevented, while others can not. Improved nutrition during pregnancy reduces the chances of preeclampsia and hemorrhaging. Birth classes can help mothers to learn relaxation techniques during labor that can prevent undue stress in the mother and baby. However, not every birth complication can be prevented and mothers often carry the burden of a less than perfect labor with them. 

My first labor was 36 hours long from the first contraction until the baby was born, including 4.5 hours of pushing. My daughter was a big baby and I really struggled to get her out. I remember passing out in between pushes, but I don’t remember her being born. 

Many women do not get adequate support after having a baby. This can be with housework and cooking, or with loneliness and isolation. After labor, a mom is sore and bleeding for weeks. She will have to overcome abdominal weaknesses and exhaustion from caring for a newborn. In addition, moms try to keep their newborns healthy by isolating them from other people. This can lead to a backup in housework and a stressed mother. 

I went from having an office job and being a full time student, to being home alone all day. In addition, my baby was born in the Summer of 2020: when lockdowns were in full swing. I had never felt more alone. Of course, I had my husband but I didn’t have other moms who I could talk to that were going through the same thing. 

A mother can have a perfect labor and all the support she needs and still get PPD. Every woman experiences a hormonal crash after giving birth, which is why 80% of moms experience baby blues the first few weeks after giving birth. PPD shows up after those initial few weeks. Moms don't often know that they have PPD, until a close friend or family member brings it up. When I had my oldest, my husband noticed the change in my mood months before I believed him. It's hard to admit that you need help.  

A research study shows that many postpartum women who are deficient in vitamin D show symptoms of postpartum depression. Another study showed that many postpartum women who have elevated copper and low zinc levels show signs of increased irritability and higher stress levels.

After I gave birth to my second baby, I discovered the Walsh Protocol and got the nutritional help I needed. When I started a supplement company three years later, I based the formula on the Walsh Protocol and the recommendations of several doctors. If you desire to take a postpartum supplement that is based upon the nutritional needs a postpartum woman often has, order here. 

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease*