Prenatal Depression Symptoms

Prenatal depression includes a range of mood swings experienced by 15 to 20 per cent of the women. Having a baby is a joyous occasion yet, some women go through anxiety and sadness. For some women these feelings persist and they need to consult a doctor, while in other women these feelings go away in a couple of weeks.

Symptoms of Prenatal Depression

Prenatal depression symptoms may include feeling of sadness, wanting to cry, tiredness, loss of enjoyment of activities which the woman enjoyed earlier, anxiety, loss of appetite etc. Prenatal depression makes women flustered. They wonder why they feel so low instead of feeling ecstatic. Sometimes the very thought of child birth terrifies women. Research says it is common for woman who feels prenatal depression to also feel postnatal depression. While there is a lot of talk about post natal depression, prenatal depression is less discussed and it goes unnoticed.

Hormones

While hormones are generally blamed for this condition, the prenatal depression symptoms can intensify if the pregnancy is not planned, or there are relationship issues and financial strains on the couple. Antidepressant drugs during pregnancy are not good for the baby. Hence alternative treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy that works towards changing the behavioral patterns are considered.

Herbal Supplements for Depression

There are herbal supplements for prenatal depression. They have no side effects as they are made from natural ingredients extracted from plants and flowers and roots. The Kava- Kava root has relaxing properties and soothes the central nervous system. Herbal vitamin supplements are effective during prenatal depression symptoms. The tablets are usually prepared using organic herbal and whole food vitamins and are blended with natural probiotic not only to relax the mood but also to promote a healthy pregnancy. Organic broccoli when blended with organic kale and cruciferous sprouts assist in producing healthy estrogen metabolism and is also good while breast feeding.

Family Support System

A good support system from the family can help tackle prenatal depression to a large extent. The husband or partner must spend time with the mother to be and assure her that he will always be around for her. Talking to profession psychotherapists can also be useful as he/she may introduce some regimes to change food and lifestyle habits. Yoga, exercise, meditation and aroma therapy are alternate treatments for depression. The doctor can help the mother to choose some of these. Meditation and yoga and even music are therapeutic. In the initial stages if one can try these alternate therapies even herbal supplements for prenatal depression can be avoided.  As the saying goes when it all in the mind, the changes can also come about when the mind wills to do so.

With all the alternate therapies there is no pint in taking allopathic medicines like anti-depressants or sleeping pills which may harm the baby. However sometimes pregnant mothers have excessive mood swings and the doctors may prescribe low doses of anxiety relieving pills for a short while. For a mother who is determined not to have these tablets herbal supplements for prenatal depressions are available at the chemists and even online.