12 Jul 2022 What is “Baby Blue”? How does it affect us after childbirth? How can we soothe the symptoms with aromatherapy?
“Baby Blue” is not the friend of “Tiffany Blue”. It is a postpartum condition that involves our emotions, in which we might:
be depressed
be anxious
be desperate
be irritable
feel helpless
cry
be not attentive
lose appetite
experience insomnia
Commonly, the condition appears for less than 2 weeks after delivery. However, some might experience a much longer and severe form of postpartum depression. In extreme cases, the new mums might develop postpartum psychosis.
In postpartum depression, the new mums would experience a much serious signs and symptoms as shown above, or even have suicidal ideation or thoughts of doing harm to themselves or their babies.
For postpartum psychosis, it is rather rare, BUT severe in signs and symptoms according to MayoClinic:
Delirium
Obsessive to our baby
Neurological disturbances, such as hallucinations and delusions
Change in sleep pattern
Extreme agitation
Paranoia
Try to damage ourselves or our baby
Whenever we noticed there’s a change in our mood and which becomes severe, we highly recommended to approach psychiatrists and psychologists for consultation to check clearly if it is psychological problem or disturbance of neurotransmitters.
For mild symptoms, we may use aromatherapy too soothe the condition. An Iranian study published in 2018 used Edinburgh questionnaire to measure the depression level for 4 times (before the intervention, 35–37 weeks of pregnancy, 2 and 6 weeks after delivery).
In the intervention group, 7 drops of lavender oil with 30mL of rose water added to cloth. The participants were requested to hold the cloth near mouth and take 10 deep breaths before bed.
Similarly, in placebo group, the participants were requested to inhale by holding a cloth added with 7 drops of odorless sesame seed oil and 30mL of musk willow sweat. As for the control group, only routine care were given.
The result showing that the mean of depression score significantly decreased in the intervention group when comparing with the placebo and control group 2 and 6 wells after childbirth.
We can see that simply using lavender oil with rose water the depression condition reverse with satisfactory effects.
In reality, we may modify the administration a bit to inhalation of lavender oil and drinking rose petal tea.
Hope this can let you grasp some concepts and self-help skills for postpartum depression. God bless you!
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