Baby gender and baby blues
Categories: Newborns, Just for moms, Babies, Pregnancy & birth, Health & safety
A recent article on MSN asks the question: Are baby boys more depressing? Seems there is some thought out there that gender plays a role in the amount of a new mom's post-partum depression. PPD, also known as the baby blues, affects many women (10% according to research) at some point and in some way after the birth of a child.
According to recent research, having a male child may present an increased risk of depression in new moms. This is not because she wanted a girl, but, rather, something more scientific. In France, women who gave birth to sons were more likely to suffer from post-partum depression and more likely to report a lower quality of life.
Come again? As the mother of a new son, I readily admit I had PPD. I didn't feel depressed, but I did cry at even the sappiest Hallmark-style commercials. I remember crying over this rookie Yankee pitcher who couldn't hit the side of a barn and then laughing about it because I'm not a Yankees fan. But, I could not possibly report a lower quality of life. In fact, my quality of life shot through the roof once Mr. Pickles entered the picture. I was not, however, tapped for this research.
Interestingly enough, similar studies in Eastern countries such as China, Turkey and India found that women were more likely to suffer from PPD when they had female children. On another note, the women in France that were studied were a very small group and, given cultural differences and the small size of the test group, the findings may be considered something of an anomaly.
Once the study was conducted researchers began considering the why of all this. Possibilities included that infant boys are harder to care for than infant girls or that (Western) women may prefer girls to boys.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Canadian Coco 4-21-2008 @ 11:09AM
You 'didn't feel depressed' yet claim to have PPD? Believe me, you didn't have PPD. It bothers me when people throw terms around they don't know much about. Crying easily is only one of many symptoms of depression. I think perhaps that was normal hormones, or perhaps 'baby blues'.
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Canadian Coco 4-21-2008 @ 11:38AM
Just for clarification:
"Postpartum depression is more debilitating than the "blues." Women with this condition suffer despondency, tearfulness, feelings of inadequacy, guilt, anxiety, irritability and fatigue. Physical symptoms include headaches, numbness, chest pain and hyperventilation. A woman with postpartum depression may regard her child with ambivalence, negativity or disinterest. An adverse effect on the bonding between mother and child may result. Because this syndrome is still poorly defined and under studied, it tends to be under reported. Estimates of its occurrence range from 3% to 20% of births. The depression can begin at any time between delivery and 6 months post-birth, and may last up to several months or even a year".
APA
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Susan 4-21-2008 @ 1:06PM
Alternately crying and laughing over a pitcher is hardly PPD. You may have had the "baby blues" as most women do but don't trivialize true PPD, it can be devastating...
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Sherry 4-21-2008 @ 8:57PM
I have one of each. With my daughter I had "baby blues" for a while. With my son I had full on PPD that took a lot of help and very long time to get over. As has been pointed out to you, crying about a sappy commericial is not PPD. Going to bed hoping you die in your sleep because you can't face another day with a baby you wish you had never had is PPD.
Does PPD have anything to do with their gender? I have no idea, but I know in my case it has absolutely nothing to do with prefering one gender over the other as I don't have a preference. However, my son was a much more difficult baby and so far has been a much more difficult toddler than my daughter was.
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Canadian Coco 4-22-2008 @ 11:35AM
Jennifer, I'm sorry if these comments sounded harsh.... I think it's just a rather sensitive topic for those who have experienced full-blown clinical depression; there's a lot of triavilizing that society does of this horrific experience, due basically to misunderstanding. I don't believe for a minute that you, or anyone else, means to do this. Unfortunately it's just the way it is for those who (thankfully) haven't been in that spot. Nonetheless, thanks for your great posts.
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Jessica 4-22-2008 @ 2:08PM
Coco and Susan, you both are unbelievable. Neither of you have any right to judge the level of jennifer's debilitation based on one sentence she included in one post. Shame on both of you.
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Jessica 4-22-2008 @ 2:09PM
Then educate, don't ostracize
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Canadian Coco 4-22-2008 @ 5:41PM
Jessica, I believe that is exactly what I was trying to do. And I was not judging, just clarifying. Sorry you don't see it that way. No, I won't take your shame, thanks.