Postpartum Depression Symptoms

Postpartum depression symptoms can be mild and temporary, or they can be the signs of a serious bout of depression that requires a doctor?s care. This kind of depression can usually occur within the first few months following childbirth, and can also happen in cases of miscarriage or stillbirth.

This syndrome can make a mother feel sad, hopeless or worthless. The affected mother may even be unable to care for or touch her baby, let alone bond with the child. The condition is thought to be brought on by changes in hormone levels that occur during pregnancy, whether the mother carries the infant to term or not.

Postpartum depression is not the same as the temporary condition known as the ?baby blues?, which some women may experience during the first few weeks after childbirth. When a mother comes down with the ?blues?, she may have trouble sleeping and will feel moody and stressed out.

Most importantly, the main difference between the ?blues? and postpartum depression is that the mother remains happy about her baby. This condition usually goes away in a few weeks, while the depression may last for months.

In rare cases, a mother may suffer from a more severe form of depression called postpartum psychosis. She will act strangely, see or hear things that are not there, as well as being a danger to herself or the baby. This condition can get worse quickly, and the mother should be seen by a medical professional immediately.

Common Postpartum Depression Symptoms

A mother is more likely to be afflicted with postpartum depression if:

? She has been previously diagnosed with depression.
? She has had little to no support during the pregnancy from partner, family or friends.
? The baby is sick or colicky.
? She has more stress in her life than she can handle at this time.

A mother is more likely to be afflicted with postpartum psychosis if:

? She has been diagnosed as bi-polar or manic-depressed.
? She has a family history that contains bi-polar or manic-depressives.

A mother who has postpartum depression will most likely show the following symptoms:

? Feelings of sadness, hopelessness, anger or anxiety
? Loss of pleasure in everyday things
? Loss of appetite and abrupt weight loss
? Increase in appetite and inappropriate weight gain
? Difficulty sleeping
? Inability to concentrate

These symptoms will most likely occur in the first day or two following the birth of the baby. It has also been found, however, to follow what appeared to have been the normal ?baby blues?, and lasted for more than a month.

Postpartum psychosis sufferers may show the following symptoms:

? Feels cut off from her baby
? Hallucinations
? Thoughts of suicide
? Thoughts of harming the baby