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FAMILY Written by Caitlin Pallai Photographs supplied by Essentia Health
Jennifer Janke
jasennifer j a nke with all new
things, however, there may be feelings of worry, disconnection, sadness and a struggle to figure out how to handle this new role. 40 :: areawomanmagazine.com
Certified Nurse-Midwife at Essentia Health
Being a new mother can feel like an emotional roller coaster. Joyful highs may give way, without warning, to weepy lows, an unsettling experience known as “the baby blues.” This particularly emotional time affects many new mothers, usually two or three days after giving birth and spontaneously subsiding within two weeks, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Postpartum depression is when women experience more intense feelings of sadness, anxiety or hopelessness for more than two weeks. This usually begins within three weeks after childbirth, though it can occur months later.
“Pregnancy and postpartum are exciting,” said Jennifer Janke, a certified nurse-midwife at Essentia Health. “As with all new things, however, there may be feelings of worry, disconnection, sadness and a struggle to figure out how to handle this new role. When these feelings last longer than two weeks, something more serious may be happening.”