Women's Day 2024: How mothers navigate postpartum depression, reshape personal and professional trajectories 

International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. Observed annually on March 8, it also serves as a call to action to accelerate gender equality and women's empowerment worldwide. As we celebrate this day, there is a topic that is not often discussed. 'Mothers navigating postpartum depression are reshaping their personal and professional trajectories, setting new standards for themselves and others alike'. Parijat Ghosh- Team Coordinator at PRADAN shared some insights on the same.

How does postpartum depression impact a mother's personal life and relationships?

Parijat Ghosh said, "I could never forget the happiness and gratitude I felt when I looked at my daughter when her tiny fingers wrapped my fingers around me. Her looking at me, recognizing me, smiling at me, learning to sit, crawl, walk, and talk- in all those moments, I felt that being a mother was the best feeling. But that is not all, it started after two or three days of giving birth when I went through a plethora of contradicting emotions for a very long time. I was overwhelmed by the responsibility and was not in control of the outburst of my emotions. I blamed myself every moment for not being able to deal with my mood swings, but no one told me that there was nothing wrong with me. “It is okay to feel this way these could have been the most reassuring words after I gave birth to my daughter."

"In Indian middle-class households, the expecting mother is the center of attraction, but suddenly post-delivery, the child becomes the center of attraction and anything wrong with the child becomes the mother’s fault and lack of responsibility. I blamed myself hard, and the people surrounding me made the situation worse for me. I could barely hang on only because my spouse supported and helped me sail through this. Having such support makes it easy to deal with."

"Sudden changes in everyday life, restricted mobility, and changed identity not only affected my happiness and well-being but also the relationship with people around me changed. Some started to look at me only as a mother and therefore everything I did or not did was judged by that lens. Our (spouse’s) time was devoted to the child and at times we hardly could take care of each other’s emotional needs."

Also read: International Women's Day 2024: Sangita Mohapatra's inspiring journey from journalism to entrepreneurship

⁠What are some common signs and symptoms of postpartum depression that mothers may experience?

"Although it is very common amongst new mothers, the term PPD (Post-Partum depression) is fairly new in Indian society. PPD can start after a day or two of childbirth and can last for a couple of days, weeks, or months to a year, i.e. after the maternity break. There can be various symptoms starting from feeling lonely, anxious, and angry to sudden mood swings. One feels low in energy, irritable, and can start to withdraw from connecting with people and surroundings. This can also affect relationships and many times the relationships get stressed or changed due to this new pattern in the behaviour of new mothers; not only in personal space, but also in workplaces. There may be symptoms like headaches, body aches, and breathlessness and in the worst cases, people may start thinking about self-harm. Feeling guilty and blaming myself for not playing personal and professional roles seems to be a constant symptom," explained Parijat Ghosh.
 
In what ways can postpartum depression affect a mother's ability to return to work or pursue her professional goals?

Parijat Ghosh also shared that "If I talk about myself, the eight months’ absence from work made me feel like starting from scratch again. My self-view of being a workaholic was conflicted when I joined back. I was struggling to adjust to the change in the team, work, my work role along with my new role as a mother. I suddenly started to feel that I was not so important and that having me on the team could be a burden. Along with internal struggle, my colleagues also started to relate to me differently and the mood swings due to PPD made it worse. I perennially felt guilty for months as I thought I was neither fulfilling my role properly as a mother, nor as a professional."

"Talking about all the working new mothers, one may come back to the same job, but as a new person who is managing a long and constantly evolving list of new responsibilities at home. Even with genuine and strong peer support, return to work may be extremely difficult. Simply starting and ending the workday, can be extremely tiresome for new mothers due to complicated new logistics, hormones, and exhaustion. Most new mothers have faced issues with office work, joining the office after their maternity breaks."

What are some coping mechanisms and support systems available for mothers dealing with postpartum depression?

"Awareness and acceptance are the best ways to deal with this. Developing a constant support system may help in bringing some mental peace and getting time for self-care. Proper meals and adequate sleep are extremely important for reducing PPD symptoms. Support from family and friends, to be able to talk to them about their anxieties and difficulties can be a great help," she continued. 

How are mothers with postpartum depression challenging societal norms and expectations around motherhood and mental health?

"Mothers struggling with postpartum depression can challenge societal norms by bravely confronting the stigma attached to acknowledging the maternal struggles. Their openness can disrupt the idealized image of blissful motherhood and encourage a dialogue that dismantles unrealistic expectations. By seeking support and advocating for mental health awareness, new mothers can redefine strength, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging and addressing postpartum challenges, ultimately reshaping societal perceptions around the complexities of motherhood and mental well-being."

• Women's Day 2024
• International Women's Day 2024