Curbing Postpartum Depression…. A step towards walking and exercise

Curbing Postpartum Depression…. A step towards walking and exercise

By Nidhi Inamdar / 13 Sep 2019

On being pregnant, a woman experiences a huge contrast of feelings. From being enthusiastic about the baby, becoming wholeheartedly involved in the preparations of baby’s arrival and lastly the post-delivery adrenaline rush.

But when the high comes down and the mother has to face the difficulties of breastfeeding, sleepless nights, combined with worry and fatigue, it sometimes leads to unhappiness and anxiety in some of them. These symptoms are termed as ‘baby blues’.

Baby blues slowly fade away as the mother becomes acquainted with the child’s routine and with the support from family members. Contrarily, when these signs linger along with some other indications like Feelings of pessimism and hopelessness, loss of enthusiasm in daily routine, lack of sleep or oversleeping, restlessness and irritability, unhealthy thoughts, loss of appetite, frequent physical symptoms like headache, digestive disorders and chronic pain that do not respond to treatment. It is then suggested that the mother may be suffering from PostPartum Depression.

Doctors’ advice that if there are any sign of these features you should immediately see a counselor or a therapist. 
The causes of Postpartum Depression could be a combination of various factors like hereditary postpartum depression in the women of the family, mood swings due to the decrease in the level of hormones estrogen and progesterone, constant sleep deprivation and physical exhaustion.

Generally, doctors suggest counseling and prescribe antidepressants for the same, but many women are reluctant of taking the medicine. The other side-effect-free treatment could be exercise.

As an example,  a first-time mother, Priya had a caesarian delivery of a baby. 3 weeks post-delivery, she started experiencing the above-mentioned symptoms. Her seemingly “baby blues” were worsening and had been prolonged enough to affect her normal life.

She could not control her anger and anxiety and was irritable and insomniac.  Her husband noticed the growing problems and asked for assistance from a counselor. It was suggested that these are symptoms of Postpartum Depression. As she met the counselor, she was advised to engage in any physical activity on a regular basis. 

Hence, she started walking on a treadmill at home as she was reluctant to leave the baby. Feeling energetic and fresh,  she motivated herself to walk outside with the baby in a stroller. These changes made quite an impact on her behavior.
Even though this does not give us concrete conclusions, the data gathered and analyzed over the years clearly show that women who have engaged in any kind of physical exertion activities post-delivery have benefitted emotionally, physically and psychologically.

Exercises that can be done post-delivery:

Walking: Start with an easy stroll. Gradually you can start doing jogging. But walking will give you a fresh and delightful day ahead. If you cannot find the time to go out, slowly walking on a treadmill at a comfortable pace will also do wonders to the body.

Tilt your Pelvis: First of all, keep your knees bent and lie on your back, put your arms on the sides, now tuck your tummy and pelvis inside and inhale, while you release it exhale your breathe. You can keep a pillow under your hips, in case of any discomfort, follow this routine for around ten minutes.

Stomach contractions and breathing exercise: Sit straight, inhale the fresh air, and contract your stomach muscles, hold it for a few seconds, and relax while exhaling the air. Take a deep breath. Slowly, you can increase the amount of time you hold your breath for. This exercise will help you strengthen your abs.

Pilates and Yoga have been the preferred form of activities for many women post-delivery. When women are feeling isolated and anxious about their weight, exercise also offers opportunities for social interaction. Many women join classes, such as yoga or Zumba dance to liven up their spirits and get back to life.

Before doing any kind of exercise, however, it is advisable that you consult a doctor and only after their permission engage in any physical activity