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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffSigns and symptoms of depression after childbirth vary depending on the type of depression.
Baby blues symptoms
Signs and symptoms of the baby blues — which last only a few days or weeks — may include:
- Mood swings
- Anxiety
- Sadness
- Irritability
- Crying
- Decreased concentration
- Trouble sleeping
Postpartum depression symptoms
Postpartum depression may appear to be the baby blues at first — but the signs and symptoms are more intense and longer lasting, eventually interfering with your ability to care for your baby and handle other daily tasks. Postpartum depression symptoms may include:
- Loss of appetite
- Insomnia
- Intense irritability and anger
- Overwhelming fatigue
- Loss of interest in sex
- Lack of joy in life
- Feelings of shame, guilt or inadequacy
- Severe mood swing
- Difficulty bonding with the baby
- Withdrawal from family and friends
- Thoughts of harming yourself or the baby
Untreated, postpartum depression may last for a year or more.
Postpartum psychosis
With postpartum psychosis — a rare condition that typically develops within the first two weeks after delivery — the signs and symptoms are even more severe. Signs and symptoms of postpartum psychosis may include:
- Confusion and disorientation
- Hallucinations and delusions
- Paranoia
- Attempts to harm yourself or the baby
When to see a doctor
If you're feeling depressed after your baby's birth, you may be reluctant or embarrassed to admit it. But it's important to call your doctor if the signs and symptoms of depression:
- Don't fade after two weeks
- Are getting worse
- Make it hard for you to care for your baby
- Make it hard to complete everyday tasks
- Include thoughts of harming yourself or your baby
Getting early treatment for postpartum depression can speed your recovery.
If you suspect that you're developing postpartum psychosis, seek medical attention immediately. Don't wait and hope for improvement. Postpartum psychosis may lead to life-threatening thoughts or behaviors.
- Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS): PRAMS and postpartum depression. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/prams/PPD.htm. Accessed March 10, 2010.
- Depression during and after pregnancy. National Institutes of Health. http://www.womenshealth.gov/faq/depression-pregnancy.cfm. Accessed March 10, 2010.
- Pearlstein T, et al. Postpartum depression. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2009;4:357.
- Lusskin SI, et al. Postpartum blues and depression. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 10, 2010.
- Wisner KL, et al. Psychiatric disorders. In: Gabbe SG, et al. Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies. 5th ed. Churchill Livingstone; Maryland Heights, Mo.: 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/187831438-3/0/1528/496.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06930-7..50052-9--cesec15_2201. Accessed March 10, 2010.
- Depression. National Institutes of Mental Health. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression/complete-index.shtml. Accessed March 10, 2010.
- Mischoulon D. Update and critique of natural remedies as antidepressant treatments. Obstetric and Gynecologic Clinics of North America. 2009;36:789.
- Shyn SI, et al. The genetics of major depression: Moving beyond the monoamine hypothesis. Psychiatric Clinics of North America. 2010;33:125.
- Major depressive episode. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR. 4th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed March 10, 2010.
- Harms RW (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. April 7, 2010.
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