How can i prevent postpartum depression?

Have good support: The best way to prevent postpartum depression is to have an adequate support system in place to help you after the birth of your baby. Don't be afraid to ask for and accept help of any kind: from friends, relatives, and professionals if you need it. Try to avoid getting overly tired and doing everything yourself. If you've had depression before, watch for symptoms after giving birth.

Enlist help at home: Having help in caring for your baby will make things a lot easier. In the first few months after birth, your baby will be feeding very frequently around the clock and having some assistance in caring for your baby or even doing your normal chores around the house will make a world of difference! don't get too hard on yourself and take time to rest. Also, talk to others about how you are feeling.

Good self care: There are things that you can do to help lower your risk of postpartum depression, but still no guarantees that you won't get it. If you do get ppd, seek early treatment as that's the best way to get better quickly. The good news is there's a good prognosis with treatment. Lower risk with a good support network & good self care, including good sleep, healthy eating, exercise, balanced lifestyle.

Ppd: Good pre-partum care, healthy life style, good support system.

Treat depression bef: If you are pregnant, the medications for mood are safer than the disorder. If you have a hx of pp depression the risk of recurrence is about 70%. Low dose sertraline at 25 mg starting even prior to delivery, and treating insomnia during pregnancy can be important. Don't get behind on treatment and don't be too conservative.

Medication: The best way to prevent post partum depression is to ensure you do not have depression prior to delivery. If you have had a diagnosis of depression, anxiety or post partum depression, your likelihood of relapse is over 70%. Sleep dysfunction is often the primary clue. Don't go into having new baby already exhausted. Low dose ssri can be helpful and the risk is minimal. Can start after del. To.

Support: Make sure you have plenty of support through out your pregnancy and make sure you talk to your ob/gyn openly about your concern regarding post partum depression. Engage in therapy or consider a psychiatric evaluation towards the end of your pregnancy so that your treatment could be started early if needed.

Build up awareness: Awareness of symptoms is one of steps of prevention. While there're no crisis, it's better to start working on back up plan-- people you turn to for help, including mental health professionals; obstetrician, child's pediatrician. Create a "coping card" and once the baby is born a list of people who can help you with the baby and manage the stress. Good luck!

Get checked: If you think you could be having post-partum depression then you should get checked. It is even more important to get checked immediately if you are having thoughts of hurting yourself or others, especially your baby.

Why are you worried?: If you have had a previous episode of depression, you might wish to talk to your psychiatrist about being on an antidepressant prior to delivery. This would mean minimal exposure to the fetus and could be started approximately one month to six weeks prior to delivery. Otherwise if you've never had depression, particularly postpartum depression, there should be no need for worry. If however you remain worried, then in your situation i would recommend psychotherapy as a way to ward off postpartum depression and i would start that prior to the delivery of your child.