Postpartum Depression

The birth of a child should be a joyous time, but often those feelings are overshadowed in women who experience the "baby blues." This condition is typical in 80 percent of childbirths, and it only lasts a week or so. The more dangerous version lasts months or years, and can impact a mother''s ability to care for herself, her family, and her new child. This guidebook provides essential information on postpartum depression, but also serves as a historical survey, by providing information on the controversies surrounding its causes, and first-person narratives by people coping with postpartum depression. Patients, family members, or caregivers explain the condition from their own experience. The symptoms, causes, treatments, and potential cures are explained in detail. Essential to anyone trying to learn about diseases and conditions, the alternative treatments are explored. Each essay is carefully edited and presented with an introduction, so that they are accessible for student researchers and readers.