protein bar, a piece of fruit or some nuts. Additionally,
carry a bott le of water with you to make sure you
stay hydrated.

ASK FOR HELP AT HOME
This is diff erent than seeking medical help: it means
asking for help at home and with the baby. If you need
a break to take a shower and practice some self-care,
ask your partner or a friend to care for the baby for an
hour. If you need some meals delivered, ask. If you
could use a ride to a therapy appointment, ask. People
want to help, but they don’t know how to help if you
don’t ask. There is no shame in asking for help.

SLOW DOWN
Don’t view your maternity leave as a time to tackle house
projects or other big items on your to-do list. You just
birthed a baby, and you’re dealing with a mood disorder.

Slow down. Turn off the ringer on your phone, relax and
rest when you can and stop putt ing pressure on yourself
to get all the chores done. Focus on gett ing to know your
baby and gett ing well.

Postpartum mood disorders such as PPD are temporary
and treatable. Just know that you will get through this
hard time.

Jenna Hatfi eld is a writer, wife and mother of two boys.

DID YOU KNOW?
PPD FACTS AND
FIGURES • Postpartum depression (PPD) is the most common
complication of childbirth.

• Up to one in seven women experience PPD.

• Approximately 600,000 women get PPD each year
in the U.S. alone.

• For half of women diagnosed with PPD, this is their
fi rst episode of depression.

• About half of women who are diagnosed with PPD
experienced symptoms during pregnancy.

• Only 15 percent of women with postpartum
depression ever receive professional treatment.

• It has been recorded that approximately 10 percent
of new fathers experience depression symptoms as
well during the postpartum period.

• Half of men who have partners with postpartum
depressio n will go on to develop depression
themselves. Her extended “pet” family includes a dog and backyard
chickens! She has a passion for writing, with a particular
ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS/KITZCORNER
interest in the topics of mental health and parenting.

12 November 2018
washingtonFAMILY.com