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Any of these symptoms during and after pregnancy that last longer than two weeks are signs of depression:
- Feeling restless or irritable.
- Feeling sad, hopeless, and overwhelmed.
- Crying a lot.
- Having no energy or motivation.
- Eating too little or too much.
- Sleeping too little or too much.
- Trouble focusing, remembering, or making decisions
- Feeling worthless and guilty
- Loss of interest or pleasure in activities
- Withdrawal from friends and family
- Having headaches, chest pains, heart palpitations (the heart beating fast and feeling like it is skipping beats), or hyperventilation (fast and shallow breathing)
After pregnancy, signs of depression may also include being afraid of hurting the baby or oneself and not having any interest in the baby's well-being (Postpartumcouples.com, n.d.).
The Baby Blues is described as mild depression interspersed with happier feelings, or as some women state, it is 'an emotional roller-coaser'. 75-80% of postpartum mothers experience the Baby Blues.
Onset is usually 2-3 days postpartum, peaking at 7-10 days, and symptoms usually lasting no longer
than two weeks (NWHIC, 2005).
The baby blues can happen in the days right after childbirth and normally go away within a few days to a week. A new mother can have sudden mood swings, sadness, crying spells, loss of appetite, sleep problems, irritability, restlessness, anxiety, and loneliness. Symptoms are not severe and treatment isn’t needed but simple interventions will help reduce symptoms. These include: napping when the baby does, asking for help from your spouse, family members, and friends, and joining a support group for new mothers or simply talking with other moms (Cutrona & Troutman, 1987).
Postpartum depression can happen anytime within the first year after childbirth. A woman may have a number of symptoms such as sadness, lack of energy, trouble concentrating, anxiety, and feelings of guilt and worthlessness. The difference between postpartum depression and the baby blues is that postpartum depression often affects a woman’s well-being and keeps her from functioning well for a longer period of time. Postpartum depression needs to be treated by a doctor. Counseling, support groups, and medicines are of additional help (Pantley, 2007).
Causes of the Baby Blues include:
Biological factors (drop in hormone levels).
Social/environmental factors(marital stress).
Lack of support systems.
Sleep deprivation.
Physical aftermath of labor and delivery.
(Pantley, 2007)
First-time moms are at a higher risk for experiencing the Blues.
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Web pages created by: Desiree Reichhardt (2007)
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