Birth trauma is a big factor in whether or not a mom gets PPD. I
found this page online:

http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/ppdepres.html#Preventing


Preventing Postpartum Depression

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One of my very wise clients said that when she started to feel any
kind of postpartum blues, she would then refocus on her children and
bring the family circle closer together. This seems like a very good
first remedy.



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A new paradigm for depression in new mothers: the central role of
inflammation and how breastfeeding and anti-inflammatory treatments
protect maternal mental health
Kathleen Kendall-Tackett
International Breastfeeding Journal 2007, 2:6 doi:10.1186/1746-
4358-2-6

Breastfeeding fights depression
08 May 2007
International Breastfeeding Journal 2007; 2: 6

MedWire News: Breastfeeding can help new mothers fight depression,
research shows.

Kathleen Kendal-Tackett (University of New Hampshire) says that
depression is common among new mothers, and affects anywhere from 10
percent to 20 percent of postpartum women.

"Since depression has devastating effects on mother and baby, it's
vital that it be identified and treated promptly," she adds.

Kendal-Tackett says that new mothers experience an increase in
inflammation due to high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Common experiences associated with new motherhood such as disturbed
sleep and postpartum pain can also act as stresses that cause pro-
inflammatory levels to rise, she says.

Breastfeeding can reduce women's stress levels so that their
inflammatory response systems remain inactive. This then reduces
their risk of depression.

But Kendal-Tackett notes this is only true when breastfeeding
is "going well."

"When breastfeeding is not going well, particularly if there is pain,
it becomes a trigger to depression rather than something that lessens
the risk."

She concludes: "Mother's mental health is yet another reason to
intervene quickly when breastfeeding difficulties arise."



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Dietary folate and vitamins B(12), B(6), and B(2) intake and the risk
of postpartum depression in Japan: The Osaka Maternal and Child
Health Study.
Miyake Y, Sasaki S, Tanaka K, Yokoyama T, Ohya Y, Fukushima W, Saito
K, Ohfuji S, Kiyohara C, Hirota Y; The Osaka Maternal and Child
Health Study Group.
J Affect Disord. 2006 Jun 29

CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that moderate consumption of
riboflavin may be protective against postpartum depression.



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Postpartum treatment key for depression: study - Jul 6/05 -- The key
to preventing postpartum depression may be individual support
provided after birth by a health professional and tailored to a
mother's needs, says a University of Toronto researcher.

"The evidence suggests postpartum depression may be preventable, says
Dennis. In analyzing the prevention strategies used, Dennis found an
overall 19 per cent reduction in postpartum depression. Individual
assessment and intensive support provided by a health professional to
at-risk women after they give birth was the most successful approach
to preventing postpartum depression; group-based strategies weren't
as effective. Risk factors for postpartum depression include past
psychiatric history, a significant number of life stressors and lack
of support."

Contact: Cindy-Lee Dennis, Faculty of Nursing, (416) 946-8608; e-
mail: cindylee.dennis@...

Psychosocial and psychological interventions for prevention of
postnatal depression: systematic review.
Dennis CL.
BMJ. 2005 Jul 2;331(7507):15.

CONCLUSIONS: Diverse psychosocial or psychological interventions do
not significantly reduce the number of women who develop postnatal
depression. The most promising intervention is the provision of
intensive, professionally based postpartum support.



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Evaluation of the Edinburgh Post Natal Depression Scale using Rasch
analysis.
Pallant JF, Miller RL, Tennant A.
BMC Psychiatry. 2006 Jun 12;6:28.



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Psychological interventions fail to prevent postnatal depression -
" . . . intensive postpartum support provided by a healthcare
professional showed a clear preventive effect."



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Baby Blues Mood Remedy from Cascade



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Resources

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Knowledge Path: Postpartum Depression has been compiled by the
Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Library at Georgetown University.



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Beck Depression Inventory - a sytem of assessing level of depression
that is considered much more accurate than the Edinburgh PDS.
Purchase the BDI-II from the publisher (Harcourt Assessment)



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Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)



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Beyond the Blues by Pec Indman EdD, MFT is a concise and up-to-date
book for women needing help with prenatal (pregnancy) and postpartum
depression and anxiety.



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Postpartum Distress Support from Postpartum Education for Parents in
Santa Barbara.



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PRENATAL & POSTPARTUM 'BLUES', DEPRESSION, STRESS & ANXIETY from
radiantmother.com



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PSI: Postpartum Support International (They used to be Depression
after Delivery)



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The Postpartum Depression Center of San Antonio



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Tips for Addressing the Baby Blues by Lois V. Nightingale, Ph.D.



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Notes from a Talk on Postpartum Depression



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Sacred Window Ayurveda for Mothers and Children, where You May
Discover How to Avoid Depression and Colic And How to Enjoy Profound
Rejuvenation!



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This study by Pauline Dillard, M.S., focused on Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD) differences between women who have had cesarean
sections versus those who have had natural childbirth.



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"Letters to Our Sisters."
From Sharon Storton - a marriage and family therapist in Campbell,
CA, specializing in perinatal mood disorders (ppmd), adjustment and
trauma.: " (In the past, I was also an IBCLC, CBE and doula). I
have recently begun a project entitled, "Letters to Our Sisters." I
am collecting first person accounts in the form of letters/emails
from women who have recovered from perinatal depression, anxiety
(actually, in my mind, a bigger problem than depression!), birth
trauma, a baby in the NICU, etc. and who want to throw a life line of
support to mothers initiating the same battle. I will keep the
letters anonymous and will strike all potentially identifying dates,
names, and details unless the author specifically asks me NOT to. I
would like this eventual collection to be available to anyone who
asks for it, perhaps on a website.
Women are encouraged to e-mail a letter of hope and recovery to add
to this collection. Thank you!