Depression Defeaters for the Fourth Trimesters

Placental passage is a minor transition in the birth moments compared to many of the other feats. But the Hormonal transition begins at that moment and the Fourth Trimester has dramatic impact on the mind and mood of new moms. The serious issue of postpartum depression has been discussed and studied fairly extensively since coming to light with several important medical case studies. We know that "baby blues" shouldn't be ignored as a normal state but at least evaluated. And the simle helps of better breast feeding advice, family support, and resuming physical activity rather than the "confinement" of yore has all been a help to the healthy approach to the Forth Trimester. No actual medication is approved for the treatment of actual postpartum depression. Nutrition can dramaticaly impact our neurochemistry. Studying it is anotehr matter. New trials in the use of  omega-3 fatty acids, and it's possible women are just not getting enough, not even with the new prenatal vitamens which have additional DHA. And we have patients prefering those from plant sources.Sue and Huang et al,  in a 2008 J of Clin Psych artical showed  dose of 3.4 g/day was most effective in improving depressive symptoms during pregnancy.Some prenatal vitamins have 0.4 g of omega-3 fatty acids, and OTC products contain up to 0.6 g/dosage form. So you have to have swig quite a few to get to the researchers level of omega-3, at least 6 to have the possible effect. As with other potentially serious psychological conditions, we don't recommend only nutritional treatment and not getting proper evalualtions.