As Leaders, we need to know how to respond, as well as how we can help. Depression can influence how a woman relates to her baby, even whether she is able to breastfeed. Framework for Depression Becoming a mother is a stressful life event. This seems obvious, but it is frequently overlooked. Ignoring the obvious stress of becoming a mother, many researchers look for internal causes, such as hormonal fluctuations, instead of considering the events taking place in a woman's life.
Depression is within the normal range of responses to life stresses.
Some women I've spoken with had so much to cope with, I would have been surprised if they were not depressed. Far more common than it is thought to be, depression can negatively affect both mother and baby. Frequently there is a discernible cause or group of causes for a woman's depression. Authors of popular articles often present the cause of postpartum depression as either hormonal fluctuations or unknown. However, researchers have so far failed to demonstrate a link between hormonal fluctuations and depression.