CBD Oil Can Beat the Baby Blues and More!

For most new mothers, the excitement of finally having a little one can take its toll. Yes, baby has landed, and you may have a chance at wearing your pre-pregnancy jeans (woohoo!), but what about those mood swings? Were you this listless before? Not hungry? When did you last eat?

Today we’re going to discuss an important subject: Postpartum Depression.

Many women mistake the baby blues for Postpartum Depression – there is an important difference between the two, so take notes.

When one experiences the baby blues, it usually means the following occur for 3 – 5 days:

• Have mood swings
• Feel sad, anxious, or overwhelmed
• Have crying spells
• Lose your appetite
• Have trouble sleeping

Make no mistake, many women go through this period after childbirth. What we need to watch out for is the continuation of such behaviour, as that is not normal. Postpartum Depression can start during your pregnancy and last well into your first year after childbirth.

This condition is defined by Women’s Health as the following:

“Postpartum” means the time after childbirth. Most women get the “baby blues,” or feel sad or empty, within a few days of giving birth. For many women, the baby blues go away in 3 to 5 days.”

If your baby blues continue longer than 2 weeks, there is a good chance you may have postpartum depression. Feelings of numbness, emptiness, restlessness etc., are not part of the ‘new mother’ phase after childbirth.

“Postpartum depression is a serious mental illness that involves the brain and affects your behavior and physical health. […] sad, flat, or empty feelings don’t go away and can interfere with your day-to-day life. You might feel unconnected to your baby, as if you are not the baby’s mother, or you might not love or care for the baby.”

What is CBD and how can CBD benefit me?

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a natural compound mainly extracted from hemp. New research suggests CBD oil is not only effective at reducing pain, but can be helpful in reducing anxiety, particularly the depression felt by new mothers after giving birth. As a society that has become somewhat “hooked” on prescription meds, there is a dire need to revert to safer, more natural aides that heal without harming the individual in question.

According to Medical News Today, “CBD could be useful in treating depression, as it appears to have a positive interaction with serotonin receptors in the brain.”

A 2014 research paper published by Bentham Science Publishers point out several interesting facts:

• Anxiety can be defined as a vague and unpleasant feeling that can be compared to fear or apprehension and that is usually caused by anticipation of a risk, danger or unknown situation,
• Anxiety and fear are considered pathological from the moment they become exaggerated, irrational and dysfunctional with regard to the stimulus, as well as when they begin to interfere in the daily activities of the subject, reducing their quality of life and performance in daily life activities,
• Depression can appear on several occasions, […] linked to substance abuse, to response to stress, or due to bereavement,
• Depressed patients present symptoms such as mood changes, apathy, lack of ability to feel pleasure (anhedonia), increased levels of irritability, prostration, cognitive and
• psychomotor changes and changes in appetite and sleep regimen, among others. They can manifest themselves in different ways […].

They confirmed that CBD compounds exhibited the same anti-depressive effects, similar to prescription medications, without the negative addiction potential. The research study determined that “CBD has proved to be a useful and versatile substance, as

well as being safe, with an effective dosage that is far from the lethal dose. According to the experiments, CBD did not affect the cognitive functioning or mobility of rats. In prey and predator experiments, animals treated with CBD froze fewer times when exposed to dangerous situations, allowing them to escape from the situation.”

A 2018 review by the National Center for Biotechnology Information cited studies undertaken by researchers to determine therapeutic applications and CBD oil uses. They discovered that “CBD was shown to have anxiolytic, antipsychotic and neuro-protective properties. In addition, basic and clinical investigations on the effects of CBD have been carried out in the context of many other health conditions, including its potential use in epilepsy, substance abuse and dependence, schizophrenia, social phobia, post-traumatic stress, depression, bipolar disorder, sleep disorders, and Parkinson.”

MarketWatch did an interesting article on the benefits of CBD oil when used as part of a parenting management routine. Their case study was a mother of 2, who confirmed the benefits of CBD when it came to her daily responsibilities, in addition to running after her kids, “I have a husband who has a high-demand job with long hours and travel, so I am the one taking the kids to and from school, to gymnastics, to swimming. On a day I know it’s going to be high stress, I say, ‘Let me grab a [CBD-infused] seltzer.’ ”

Her go-to anti anxiety supplement is a wise choice considering CBD oil side effects are minimal, if any. Where typically prescribed anti anxiety medicine tends to dull her senses, CBD oil “doesn’t impair my ability to take care of my kids” but “makes me feel really calm and takes my anxiety from a 10 to a 4.”

It is testimonials such as this that keeps the market interested, and growing. It’s never been easy being a parent, especially when you don’t have an army of nannies set aside to look after your brood. Smart parenting is more about effective management of your time and resources than following the traditional route that leaves one looking like a zombie from the Walking Dead! Whether you’re a new mother or not, CBD oil can have a multitude of positive effects, especially when you need to multitask.