Category: Post-Pregnancy

After childbirth, a woman’s body undergoes a lot of complex emotions, especially in terms of hormonal imbalance. Since it triggers a lot of emotions during these times it is common to feel anxious and fearful. Sometimes, the women may even slip into depression, also known as postpartum depression.

Many new mothers undergo postpartum depression or feel under the blues. It can lead to mood swings, anxiety, crying and even difficulty in sleeping. It is common to experience it in the first two or three days. However, if it persists for more than two weeks, it can be a cause of concern.

 What is postpartum depression?

 

Postpartum depression refers to a mental health condition that tends to affect women right after they give birth. Due to postpartum depression, many women may feel lonely, restless or worthless for a long time. Furthermore, anxiety will also kick in.

It is common for women to experience mood swings after giving birth. For example, if they are happy now, they may start crying a few minutes later. While you may think that they feel okay when the baby is sleeping, they don’t. The postpartum depression symptoms last for a long time.

Therefore, in short, postpartum depression is a form of mental health condition after delivery. If you experience depression after delivery for two to three days, it is normal. You might as well consider it to be symptoms of baby blues. Baby blues are a normal part of you being a mother and tend to disappear within ten days. Nonetheless, there are women who experience these symptoms for more than ten days.

What are the causes of postpartum depression?

The exact cause of postpartum depression is unknown. One of the most probable postpartum depression causes is changes in hormonal levels of the body. Right after giving birth to a child, your body undergoes a lot of changes, especially in terms of chemical functionalities. This can however increase the risk of depression.

Nonetheless, you may also experience postpartum depression if you have had any of these:

●        Previous history of postpartum depression.

●        Premenstrual syndrome.

●        Clinical depression

●        Stress in work-life balance

●        Lack of emotional support

●        Stressful pregnancy

●        Marital conflict

●        Mood disorder family history

●        Early age pregnancy

However, there are certain mental and physical factors that may contribute to postpartum depression. These include:

●        Lack of sleep: Having a child can be an overwhelming experience. This is mostly because you have to be around them all the time. In such cases, you tend to lose sleep. This can however cause you trouble thereby preventing you from sleeping peacefully. The inability to sleep can often increase the risk of postpartum depression.

●        Self-inferiority complex: After giving birth, many women feel that they aren’t attractive enough. This often causes self-image issues. In fact, many women also struggle with a sense of identity as they feel they are losing control of their life. This can eventually increase the risk of postpartum depression.

●        Hormones: After childbirth, there is a significant drop in progesterone and estrogen levels. These hormones are crucial during the childbirth stage. Apart from these, there may also be a steep decline in other hormones that can make you feel stressed and depressed. It will also make you feel sluggish and unable to function normally.

●        Anxiety: Many women are likely to experience anxiety after giving birth to a child. This is mostly because they feel under confident considering that they may not be able to take care of the child. Therefore, this feeling of anxiousness can eventually lead to an increased risk of postpartum depression.

What are the postpartum depression symptoms?

It can be tough to detect the signs of postpartum depression. Many women may skip it thinking that it’s a regular habit. However, it is a serious condition that needs to be addressed.

Some of the common postpartum depression symptoms include:

●        Inability to sleep

●        Appetite change

●        Lower libido

●        Sudden mood changes

●        Severe fatigue

Many women are also likely to experience the other symptoms of depression, which may or may not be related to childbirth. Some of these unusual postpartum depression symptoms include the following:

●        Feeling crankiness

●        Loss of happiness and pleasure

●        Being uninterested in the baby

●        Constant crying for no reason

●        Constantly thinking that they might hurt someone

●        Suicidal thoughts

●        Trouble in concentration

Furthermore, around 1-3% of women are also likely to experience obsessive-compulsive disorder or OCD. This may often be because of the thoughts related to the baby’s health or harming the baby. Many new mothers may also experience panic attacks.

If postpartum depression isn’t treated in new mothers, it can be slightly problematic. It is advisable to seek professional help as soon as possible. Some of the conditions, when the new moms should consider getting help from professionals include:

●        They aren’t able to work.

●        The symptoms have existed for more than two weeks.

●        They have been feeling anxious and stressed for a long time.

●        They are unable to cope with the situation.

What are the risk factors and complications in postpartum depression?

If postpartum depression isn’t treated in time, it can hamper your bond with the child. Furthermore, it will have a lot of negative impact on your relationship with your family members.

If the postpartum depression isn’t treated, it can even turn to chronic depressive order. Furthermore, it can lead you to have multiple episodes of depression in the long run. Apart from mothers, fathers are also prone to experience postpartum depression. Children of depressed mothers can also experience postpartum depression. They tend to cry more than usual and have delayed development.

When to consult a doctor?

If your condition has worsened and lasted more than ten days, you are likely to experience it frequently. Therefore, in such cases, you must consider reaching out to a doctor.

Key Takeaways

Once Prega News delivers the good news of your pregnancy, you must take good care of your physical and mental health to ensure that the journey is smooth and you deliver a healthy baby. It is also important to manage your own health to avoid the risk of postpartum depression and maintain a positive attitude. In spite of all precautions, if you ever experience the symptoms of postpartum depression, you need to get in touch with the doctor. Furthermore, having a healthy lifestyle can also be of great help in overcoming these challenges due to postpartum depression.

FAQ

●        What are the signs and symptoms of the postpartum period?

Anxiety, restlessness and feeling of worthlessness are some of the common symptoms of postpartum depression. Mothers may also experience constant crying.

●        Is PPD the same as depression?

No. Although the symptoms are very similar, PPD usually goes away in two to three weeks, but depression usually lasts longer.

●        How can you reduce the risk of postnatal depression?

Eating healthy and following a healthy lifestyle can be the key self-help methods to reducing the risk of postnatal depression.

●        How long can you go through postpartum?

Usually, women can go through two to three weeks of postpartum depression. 

●        Can depression affect breastfeeding?

Yes. In many cases, the mother may not feel attached to the child. Therefore, she may refrain from breastfeeding the child.

Keep your mind positive. Eat healthy food and stay cheerful. Postpartum depression is a short phase and you can snap out of it with some self-love and help from a caring partner. In case the symptoms persist, it is best to seek a medical opinion. 

Are you worried about premature birth? Do you fear preterm labour and delivery? Imagine giving birth several weeks before the baby is due. Will the baby be ready for the world? Will the baby survive since vital organs may be underdeveloped? Handling premature labour and delivery is tough for both the mom and baby. However, it is not impossible to get through this with flying colours. Read on to clear your doubts about preterm delivery and its accompanying risks.

Before that, let’s discuss What is Preterm Labour?

Preterm or premature labour is the regular contraction that happens when the cervix opens after week 20 or before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Going into preterm labour does not necessarily mean that a woman will give premature birth. However, it can lead to premature birth, which creates a higher health risk for the baby.

There are some results that premature babies or preemies may have long-term health issues and physical disabilities. The premature baby needs proper medical attention. If a woman is going through preterm labour, she needs to consult the doctor right away.

Signs and symptoms of Preterm labour

Preterm labour can happen to any pregnant woman. There are few specific causes or patterns. But, here are some common signs and symptoms which can lead to the birth of a preemie: –

●        Frequent Menstrual-type cramps or abdominal tightening.

●        Experience tightening or sensation in the lower abdomen for some women.

●        Constant lower back pain travels to the front anterior.

●        Put pressure on the vagina.

●        Changes in Vaginal discharge – can be watery, mucus-like, or bloody.

●        Vaginal spotting or light bleeding

●        Membrane rupture around the baby results in a continuous trickle of fluid or also called water breaks.

Many women face preterm contractions as early as 23-24 weeks of gestation. But if you are having contractions every 10 minutes/ 6 times in an hour, run to a doctor immediately for further checkups.

What are the risks factors for Premature labour and birth?

Risk factors can affect any pregnancy. Look at these factors which can increase the risk of preterm labour and what causes preterm birth among women, including: –

●     Past preterm labour or premature birth can cause problems in the recent pregnancy.

●     Pregnancy with twins, triplets, or other multiples

●     The short cervix can be another problem.

●     Any problem with the uterus or placenta

●     Using drugs or Smoking cigarettes causes early delivery.

●     Pregnancy can be at risk of moms having certain chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, autoimmune disease, and depression.

●     Depression and stressful life events cause problems too.

●     High blood pressure with fluid build-up and proteinuria medically called Preeclampsia

●     Vaginal bleeding during pregnancy

●     Defects of fetal birth in the womb.

●     Either mother is younger than 18 or older than 35 

Can you reduce your risk for preterm labour?

●        The proper gap between pregnancies: You should wait 18 months before getting pregnant again. It allows your body to heal and reduces the chance of having another preterm birth.

●        Contraceptive method: Sexually transmitted diseases can cause early delivery. Contraception is the most effective method that includes the IUD or implant. Consult with a doctor to know what type of contraception is best for you.

●        Take progesterone: If you have a history of delivering a premature baby, talk to your doctor about taking in your next pregnancy to lower the chance of having another premature birth.

●        Manage weight: Overweight and underweight women suffer premature labour. During this time, pregnant women should work on their health and maintain  a healthy weight based on what their doctor recommends.

●        Avoid smoking and using drugs as they can increase your chances of having a preemie.

●        Control chronic diseases: if you have heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, or autoimmune disease, work on controlling them and work with a doctor to take treatments before your next pregnancy

●        Infertility treatment: It may increase the chance of getting pregnant with more than one baby. Unfortunately, twin and triplet pregnancies are the real cause of delivering early.

●        Frequent Checkups: When you do get pregnant, try to be regular with checkups. Women who receive good prenatal care have a lower chance of giving birth to a preemie.

People also ask (FAQ)

How long can you be in preterm labour?

If it’s your first pregnancy, the early labour lasts about 6 to 12 hours. During this time, you can take some rest or try to be more comfortable at home. Stay healthy and manage the diet. You may also have mild contractions that can last between 5 – 15 minutes.

What triggers preterm labour? 

The most common reasons are infection and inflammation that cause preterm labour during the gestational age, between 20 – 32 weeks gestation. Further, preterm birth is caused by the bacterial or viral infection in the vagina, bladder, uterus, or other body parts.

How can I manage the preterm labour?

Preterm labour can be managed by what is best for your health and the fetus’s health. If the fetus would benefit from a delay in delivery, medications may help the organs mature more quickly, reduce the risk of certain complications, and attempt to delay delivery for a short time.

Does the baby move during preterm labour?

Yes, baby movement starts between 16-18 weeks of pregnancy. If you have had a baby before, you will start feeling the baby move in 18-20 weeks. All women should feel baby movements before 24 weeks.

What are the physical problems of premature babies?

A “preemie” is a baby born too early, or about three weeks before the due date. The complete fetal development takes about 40 weeks. Premature birth occurs before 37 weeks. Babies require 9months  to grow fully. If the baby is born too early, it can cause serious health problems. Preemies may have heart, brain, lung, or liver issues.

They are also at a higher risk of physical development problems. These can lead to physical issues later in life, including:

●      Cerebral palsy.

●      Hearing and vision problems.

●      Learning disabilities.

●      Poor growth.

Can having preterm labour lead to premature birth?

It is difficult for health care professionals to predict which women with preterm labour tend to give a premature baby. They will try to delay the delivery as long as possible with the help of medication to give the baby a chance to develop inside the womb. You must consult your doctor as soon as you experience symptoms and let them decide what is best for you.

Having a preterm baby can be stressful for both mother and baby. However, with proper medical care and precautions, a premature baby can be nursed to grow normally. Once Preganews delivers the good news about your baby’s arrival to you, make sure you take good care of yourself and reduce the risk factors that could lead to premature birth.

Hey there, dads!

We know you have been eagerly waiting to meet your little one, since you brought home Prega News – India’s No. 1 Pregnancy detection kit to get the good news. And thanks to the efficiency of the pregnancy test by Prega News, you got the news in just 5 minutes! The pregnancy test by Prega News also provides very accurate results when all the instructions on the Prega News kit are followed, thus letting you do a little celebratory dance even before you visit the doctor.

 However, now that your little one is home, you want to spend much time with your newborn and bond with them instantly. So maybe you’re wondering, how do dads bond with their newborn? Well, the Prega News Kit doesn’t just deliver you the good news, we also ensure that we stand by you every step of the way. So let’s take a look at different ways that can be used for dad’s bond with a newborn.

 Dad’s Activities

 There are many ways to bond with your little one. Your baby may not be old enough to recognize voices and faces, or even respond to everything, but there are certain ways that you can still have fun with your baby and help deepen the bond. Let’s take a look!

●     Baby wearing: An increasingly popular idea, baby wearing is simply carrying your baby in your lap with the aid of a cloth or accessory. The baby wearing technique enables you to stay close to your little one as you go about your daily chores. The little one can nap or simply enjoy being with you.

●     Skin to skin contact: Another way of staying close to your baby, skin to skin contact is being increasingly recommended to new parents. You simply keep your baby close to your chest and allow for skin to skin contact while both of you are wrapped up in a blanket. This helps strengthen the bond and also promotes healthy growth of babies.

●    Baby massage: This is yet another way to promote skin to skin contact between father and newborn and is great for dad’s bond with newborn. While giving your baby a massage, you not only provide warmth and comfort but also spend more time, which ultimately promotes a healthy bond.

●    Diapering duties: You can give mommy a break and also share some dad and newborn time by taking over diapering duties. With many easy to use diapers available these days, it’s no task at all.

●     Bedtime routine: Your baby is still a newborn and may need a feed at night before falling asleep. However, you can help set a bedtime routine and get involved in it – take over baby soothing duties at night or tuck them in at night for that special time.

Developing Interaction Patterns 

As your baby grows a little older – may be a few weeks old – you can include more activities to help that dad-newborn bond. These activities are also great for developing the interaction patterns as your baby’s responsiveness also increases with time. Here are a few ideas:

●       Talk to baby: Probably the oldest trick in the book but definitely one of the most efficient ones – talking to babies has proven to be very helpful when trying to develop a bond. Your baby may not be able to understand you but they do understand the emotions and they are sure to love it.

●       Read to baby: Did you know that babies also enjoy the voice of reading aloud even when they are in the tummy? So why not read to your baby from the children’s books and enjoy some daddy and baby time?

●      Make faces at baby: When babies are a little older, they can also mimic facial expressions and pick up emotions. So make sure to make plenty of goofy faces at baby.

●      Bathing routine: This is a fun baby and daddy routine that your child is sure to love. Most babies love bath time and nothing like dad joining in with fun water toys and funny voices!

●       Sing to baby: Babies understand the notes in music and respond to them even before they understand words. It could be your favourite song or a nighttime lullaby – find something that both of you enjoy and make for a nice song session with the baby. 

Now that you have all these amazing ideas, which ones are you going to use?

FAQ

What other things to be considered for new fathers?

While the above tips can be really helpful to bond with babies, there is another important thing to consider when you’re a new dad. Remember the time you stood beside your partner as you checked the results on the pregnancy test by Prega News? She’s a new mom too and supporting her in any way you can is always much needed and appreciated. Women can also face postpartum depression so it’s important to stand by her and share this journey as an equal partner.

How can I better manage my work life balance as a father?

Opt for a paternity leave when you can so you can spend more time with the baby. When you resume work, make sure that you come back home at fixed times so as to spend time with the family. Waking up a little early or checking in on your baby at night and spending holidays with the baby are all great ways to balance work and life.

What habits do I need to inculcate the most?

 

While there are no rules about habits to set, ideally you should inculcate and also follow the habits that you want your baby to follow later in life. In the initial stages, having ample playtime, setting routines for mealtimes and naps is a great way to ensure a smooth transition into toddler stage. Also, ensure that you follow healthy eating, no smoking etc. to make sure that you set the right example for your baby.

 

Indoor Activities for Toddlers

Children from the ages of 2-7 begin to get more restless, curious and inquisitive. During these times, it is necessary to find fun activities for kids to do to keep them occupied and engaged. However good it is to teach children to stay calm and disciplined, it is difficult for them to be at home without much to do due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their simple minds may not truly understand the severity of the present times so it is best to help them stay preoccupied with activities and fun games that keep them mentally and physically healthy and happy. It is common nowadays to see very young kids gravitate to tablets and phones to look for entertainment. There is no one to blame for this but the growing age of technology. To reduce this occurrence, here are some enjoyable activities that you can do with your kids or they can do on their own. 

 

• Tea parties and home plays – We all see young kids play with their tea sets and have little tea parties with their stuffed toys and talk to them as though they are alive and respond to them. This is very helpful for kids to tap into their creative side by envisioning scenarios, creating conversations as well as keeping them occupied for hours. What additionally helps is the tables, cups, a little kitchen set and some stools sto create a home play setup.
• Colouring and painting – It is good to allow kids to indulge in some colourful paints, sketch pens, colour pencils, crayons and other colouring tools. Letting them explore colours and painting schemes helps to enrich their playtime and also helps stimulate their imagination and brain. Holding the colouring tools also helps in practicing holding their writing or colouring tools correctly. This will help them strengthen their hand and wrist muscles. All these paintings can be used to decorate the nursery as a way to showcase their creativity.
• Playing with jumbo or lego blocks – More than this being a very fun activity to play as a child, playing with jumbo and lego blocks helps children to improve their hand eye coordination. This also helps them increase patience and develop their constructive skills. Kids love to break things so it is also important to teach them to build things and show them the time and effort it takes into building them. This way, you can teach them that it is not a good habit to break things as someone took the time to make it.
• Write them a treasure hunt – This is a good activity to make toddlers do as a working or busy woman. Draft a treasure hunt the night before while they are asleep and hide some rewards as you would for any treasure hunt. It is recommended to make it more personal as this plays a big role in the child’s future when they know that their likes and dislikes are recognised. The next morning, give them their clues before you get busy and allow them to solve the hunt. This is a good way to get them thinking and developing exploration and problem solving skills. 
• Playing with kinetic sand or homemade alternatives – kinetic sand helps in engaging a wide range of sensory experiences in a child. Emotional and social development can be engaged when kids and toddlers play with kinetic sand. With that being said, you would have to be mindful when they play with kinetic sand. Make sure that they do not eat the sand as it can be hazardous since it contains a number of toxic chemicals. A homemade alternative for kinetic sand can be made by mixing 2 parts cornstarch with 1 part of dish soap. This is a relatively more child-safe alternative to play with. This creates a strange yet intriguing substance that is solid when played with vigorously but turns liquidy when left loose.
• Baby pools with toys – To beat the summer heat and have a safe semi-indoor activity is to fill up an inflatable baby pool with some water and some toys so that they can have a pool day at home. During COVID-19, with most outdoor activities being closed for safety purposes, it is important to find solutions so that kids and toddlers do not constantly resort to technology when they are bored. In addition to this, playing in water is a fun energy burning semi-indoor or indoor activity for toddlers and children. 
• Solve puzzles – Learning how to solve puzzles teaches toddlers spatial awareness, colour coordination, shape recognition and concentration. Puzzles subconsciously help growth in children to recognise the importance of a smaller part in the bigger picture. This is a very valuable skill when it comes to analysing and solving problems in the future. 
• Fort building – Fort building is another activity that is just simply fun. Toddlers learn to tap into their creative and design oriented parts of the mind and come up with structures and use household items to make a comfy nook for themselves to play in. It is amusing to then see how they appreciate sitting in their fort because children tend to appreciate things that they have worked to create and that has not just been handed to them. This helps them avoid becoming entitled and more constructive.

 

Frequently asked questions

Q1. How do you entertain toddlers indoors?

Ans. It is a task trying to stop even toddlers from reaching out for technology when they need entertainment. However, there are a number of activities that you can try and play with them to help them be more entertained, especially during quarantine because they are not allowed to go out, run around and play. Some of these activities are painting and colouring, treasure hunts, baby pools, puzzle and fort building. It is vital to put in effort into toddlers to avoid them from feeling bored and neglected. 

 

Q2. What are the types of indoor activities for toddlers?

Ans. ‘Simon says’, ‘Would you rather’, scavenger hunts, colouring and painting, puzzle solving and fort building ares all different indoor activities for toddlers to keep them occupied and engaged. 

 

Q3. How do I keep my child entertained for hours? 

Ans. Without having the option to go out and take them to places like the park or their friend’s house due to COVID-19 restrictions, it is difficult to keep their restlessness and boredom away. Some activities like painting and colouring, treasure hunts, baby pools, puzzles and fort building are all ways to keep children occupied for hours on end. Remember to include some nap times to take breaks and a fun schedule at home is good to go. 

 

Q4. Where can I take my baby on a rainy day?

Ans. If it were not COVID-19 times, ideal yet underappreciated places to take your child or baby on a rainy day is to a children’s library. You can either read to them or allow them to look at all the colourful illustrations in the books. It is extremely visually appealing and stimulating to them. Another place that you could take them is to an aquarium. This can help spark cognitive development as they explore the environment and studies have shown that aquariums have a calming effect on children.