Postpartum depression and surgery
Posted Friday, September 28, 2007
More and more moms are opting for cosmetic surgery to bring their bodies back to a more familiar shape after pregnancy. However, some may not be considering that their desire to go under the knife could be coming from a precarious place.
“I’m not opposed to cosmetic surgery, but I think one needs to be aware that the first year postpartum is a time of enormous vulnerability,” Diana Lynn Barnes, a California psychotherapist, told MSNBC. “The body has gone through changes, the psyche has gone through changes, and it’s not a time to be making dramatic decisions about one’s body. A woman could go in for breast augmentation and then later realize it was a mistake.”
Of course, not all women who undergo post-pregnancy cosmetic surgery are depressed. However, those who have been diagnosed should consider holding off on a procedure, and those who are worried that they may be suffering should consult a therapist before pursuing a procedure.
Tags: depression, post-pregnancy, postpartum depression, pregnancy, surgery