Depression in New Mothers ─ Causes, Consequences and Treatment Alternatives

Depression is the most common complication of childbirth and results in adverse health outcomes for both mother and child. It is vital, therefore, that health professionals be ready to help women who have depression, anxiety, or posttraumatic stress disorder in the perinatal period.

Now in its third edition, Depression in New Mothers provides a comprehensive approach to treating postpartum depression in an easy-to-use format. It reviews the research and brings together the evidence-base for understanding the causes and for assessing the different treatment options, including those that are safe for breastfeeding mothers. It incorporates research from psychoneuroimmunology and includes chapters on:

• assessing depression

• mother-infant sleep

• traumatic birth experiences

• infant temperament, illness, and prematurity

• childhood abuse and partner violence

• psychotherapy

• complementary and integrative therapies

• community support for new mothers

• antidepressant medication

• suicide and infanticide.

This most recent edition incorporates new research findings from around the world on risk factors, the use of antidepressants, the impact of breastfeeding, and complementary and integrative therapies as well as updated research into racial/ethnic minority differences. Rich with case illustrations and invaluable in treating mothers in need of help, this practical, evidence-based guide dispels the myths that hinder effective treatment and presents up-to-date information on the impact of maternal depression on the mother and their infants alike.

Kathleen A. Kendall-Tackett is a health psychologist and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. Dr. Kendall-Tackett is a Clinical Professor of Nursing at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa and Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Texas Tech University School of Medicine in Amarillo, Texas. She is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association in both the Divisions of Health and Trauma Psychology, and past president of the American Psychological Association’s Division of Trauma Psychology.She edits two peer-reviewed journals: Clinical Lactation and Psychological Trauma, and owns Praeclarus Press, a small press specializing in women's health. This is her 30th book.