The arrival of a new baby is a celebration, but why do some new parents experience “baby blues,” or more serious feelings of stress, anxiety and depression after giving birth? These feelings are incredibly common — as many as 75% of women report experiencing baby blues, and up to 15% of them will develop postpartum depression (PPD), a potentially serious mental health condition.

If you, your partner or a family member is considering becoming pregnant, continue reading to familiarize yourself with the symptoms of PPD to ensure timely treatment and support. If you’re concerned about your or a loved one’s likelihood of developing this condition based on mental health history, speak with your doctor or trusted health professional as soon as possible.

Postpartum Blues or Baby Blues
Pregnancy as a medical condition has a profound impact on the body, resulting in changes to weight, muscles, ligaments and organs. Hormones are also affected to support fetal development, maintain a healthy pregnancy and prepare the body for childbirth. After birth, the amount of estrogen and progesterone — two hormones critical to pregnancy — suddenly drops, resulting in mood swings and symptoms of emotional dysregulation known as baby blues. Additionally, simple anxiety over caring for a new baby or concerns over how the parent’s life will change can also result in this condition.

Other signs typically include:

• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Crying
• Feeling burnt out, frustrated or overwhelmed
• Problems concentrating, eating or sleeping

According to March of Dimes up to 80% of new parents — plus 10% of partners — experience baby blues two to three days after the baby is born, typically lasting up to two weeks. If these symptoms last longer than two weeks or grow more severe, it’s likely the parent is dealing with a more serious concern, such as postpartum anxiety or depression.

Postpartum Anxiety
Many new parents experience fear and worry in the days or weeks after birth. Welcoming a new family member is a significant change to old routines and habits, something that commonly results in feelings of stress or anxiety.

However, not all new parent fears are made equal. Postpartum anxiety (PPA) occurs when a new parent experiences irrational or excessive worries about events unlikely to happen. This all-consuming feeling can take root in a traumatic event from your past — such as if you were exposed to a large pet too early as a child, making you irrationally afraid of introducing your new child to animals — or take shape as a vague, yet constant feeling of danger.

Some symptoms of this condition include:

• Feeling like you can’t leave your baby alone for even a few minutes with a trusted adult, such as your partner or parent.
• Staying awake all night to constantly check that your child is alive and breathing.
• Being too afraid to leave the house for fear that someone will harm you or your child.

The timeline for PPA can vary based on the individual, with some feeling heightened anxiety right after birth or not emerging until the baby is several months old. According to the Cleveland Clinic it can even begin during pregnancy.

Postpartum Depression
Compared to the baby blues and PPA, the symptoms of PPD are generally more intense and last longer. Depending on their severity, they can eventually interfere with a parent’s ability to care for their child or handle other important daily tasks, according to insights from the Mayo Clinic.

Symptoms typically begin within one to three weeks after giving birth, but they can also manifest during pregnancy — a condition known as prenatal depression — or up to a year after birth.

Parents who experience postpartum depression typically report:

• Negative emotions, such as feeling sad, worthless or guilty
• Excessive crying, worrying or feeling on edge
• Trouble sleeping or wanting to sleep constantly
• Loss of energy or motivation, including in activities once enjoyed
• Lack of interest or feeling anxious around the baby
• Thoughts of harming or not wanting the baby

Postpartum depression is a serious ailment that can last for many months if untreated. A more severe form of this disorder, postpartum psychosis, can lead to life-threatening thoughts and behaviors if not treated.  

Postpartum Psychosis (PPP)
A rare, but serious, mental health emergency that affects roughly one to two per 1,000 women after childbirth. PPP, which can emerge within several days after giving birth or up to six weeks after, significantly impacts a person’s sense of reality and understanding of the world around them, causing disruptive hallucinations, delusions, paranoia and other extreme behavioral changes.

Symptoms vary by individual, but typically include:

• Delusions and hallucinations
• Anxiety or panic
• Thoughts of self-harm, suicide or harming their child
• Disruptive or aggressive behavior
• Agitation or irritability
• Disorganized speaking
• Disorientation or confusion
• Inappropriate comments, behaviors or emotional displays
• Catatonia or mutism

PPP requires timely intervention; those experiencing this condition are at serious risk for harming themselves or their children. While experts are still working to determine the exact cause of PPP, it’s believed a history of individual and family mental health conditions, whether this is the mother’s first pregnancy, sleep deprivation, hormonal changes and some medical conditions can have an impact.

The Bottom Line
Caring for a new baby is a lot of hard work, especially if you or your partner are also dealing with emerging mental health concerns related to your growing family. Baby blues, PPA, PPD or PPP are not a reflection of your ability to care for your new child; they are a natural consequence of significant hormonal changes and new stressors in your life. With the proper medical care and support network, all can be treated and have you back to feeling sweet baby bliss.

If you’re concerned about your or your partner’s mental health relating to pregnancy, contact your doctor as soon as possible to discuss your health history and ways they can support you.  If you or a loved one is experiencing a mental health or suicidal crisis, please call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline; help is available.

Articles in this newsletter are supposed to be informative, enlightening and helpful to you. While all information contained herein is meant to be completely factual, it is always subject to change. Articles are not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

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