Postpartum depression (PPD) is a mental health illness that affects women after giving birth. For some women, it is normal to feel the “baby blues” for a few weeks after giving birth. With postpartum depression, feelings of sadness, loneliness, worthlessness, restlessness, and anxiety last much longer than a few weeks.
If you’re a new mother and have any of these symptoms, you may have the baby blues. The baby blues are considered a normal part of early motherhood and usually go away within 10 days after delivery.
The symptoms of postpartum depression affect your quality of life and include:
• Feeling sad or down often.
• Frequent crying or tearfulness.
• Feeling restless, irritable, or anxious.
• Loss of interest or pleasure in life.
• Loss of appetite.
• Less energy and motivation to do things.
• Difficulty sleeping, including trouble falling asleep, trouble staying asleep, or sleeping more than usual.
• Feeling worthless, hopeless, or guilty.
• Unexplained weight loss or gain.
• Feeling like life isn’t worth living.
• Showing little interest in your baby.
• Not feeling attached to your baby.
The exact cause isn’t known. Hormone levels change during pregnancy and right after childbirth. Those hormone changes may produce chemical changes in the brain. This plays a part in causing depression.
Having postpartum depression does not mean that a person does not love their baby. It is a mental health condition, and treatment can resolve it. Anyone with symptoms should see a doctor immediately.
It's not anyone's fault or a weakness when a woman gets postpartum depression.;
Postpartum depression is treatable. Treatment helps most women feel like themselves again. Then they can enjoy having a new baby at home.