Avoiding Postpartum Depression

PPD is a state where a woman may have a high level of anxiety and mood swings after childbirth. 

You shouldn’t confuse it with “baby blues” which is less disturbing and doesn’t require any medication. Besides, only about 20% of women have PPD whereas up to 80% of young moms can experience baby blues. 

The best way to deal with PPD is to prevent it so here are some useful habits you should adopt now to be a happy mom later.

First of all, take more vitamins of the B-complex such as B12 and B6. They help your body metabolize homocysteine which is the main cause of depression. B6 and folic acid can be found in green vegetables, legumes and fruits. The only source of B12 is animal products so vegetarians should take B12 supplements. If you don’t know what you can cook to take more B12 you can try smoked chicken breast or sous vide chicken breast. These two are quite similar but you can still choose the one you like better.

Let’s start with smoked chicken breast. This delicious recipe is perfect if you don’t have much time. It’ll only take you 40 minutes and you’ll enjoy a full flavor of smoked chicken. First, preheat the grill to 250 degrees. Then pound the chicken breasts flat, rub dry all of them. Place chicken on the smoker, cook for 30 minutes, remove from pellet grill and let cool for 10-15 minutes.

The next easy way to get your norm of B12 is sous vide chicken breast. This effortless recipe get your creativity to a whole new level: you can use different seasonings (garlic, dried herbs) and you can also brush the chicken breast with honey mustard or barbecue sauce or even cook the sauce you like. You should start with the pot. Stock it with water, attach sous vide and make sure your chicken breast is fully covered with water.

Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper and put it into a ziplock bag. Add some olive oil, lemon and spices. Then remove all the air from the bag and submerge it in water. Cook for about 2 hours. Finally, remove the bag from the water and take chicken breast out. Enjoy!

To keep away from mood swings you also need to follow a healthy diet. This means consuming enough vegetables and fruit and eating less animal protein. Here’s a hangover soup recipe to help you take your first healthy cooking steps. Fry onion, ground beef and garlic on the pan. Then add potatoes, tomatoes, broth and seasoning, simmer for about 10 minutes. Add your favorite vegetables and simmer for 20 more minutes until potatoes are cooked. Serve right away with cheese.

After such a hearty meal it’s time to exercise! It’s very important during postpartum period because it increases serotonin levels and thus makes you feel better. You can choose any kind of sport you like, from yoga to swimming but please keep in mind that these activities are more about moving more, not getting rid of calories.

One more important thing is to get enough sleep. When it comes to preventing PPD, sleeping well is crucial. Try to rest when your relatives are taking care of the baby and you’ll feel less exhausted.

And last but not least: drink plenty of water. 

Scientists have found out that the less water you consume the more likely you are to suffer from depression. To reduce the risk of dehydration, keep track of the amount of water you drink. This might seem difficult with a baby but you can make this easier with an app that does all the counting for you. Just go ahead and have a glass of fresh water.

So these are all tips that will definitely help you fight depression symptoms or even prevent it at all. Hope all of them are useful!