The birth of a baby usually brings excitement, bliss, and joy. But that joy is tempered for the nearly 60 percent of new mothers who also suffer from postpartum depression (PPD). The symptoms include anxiety , depression, irritability, confusion, and crying spells, as well as problems with sleep and appetite . PPD can be mild or severe. When symptoms last just 24 to 72 hours, they can be considered a temporary case of “baby blues,” but when they endure as long as two weeks, new mothers and their
Symptoms and Causes of Postpartum Depression
Many women who appeared to function with impressive calm and efficiency prior to the birth of their child may find themselves baffled and disoriented by the onset of postpartum depression . Some research suggests that PPD sufferers were always more susceptible to anxiety than others, and the stressor of their baby’s arrival activated their innate susceptibility. But for new mothers, social isolation and a weak support network have also been shown to increase the likelihood of developing anxiety after childbirth.
Common postpartum symptoms include disorienting feelings of anxiety, irritability, lethargy, or confusion that often lead to frequent crying, sleep and appetite concerns, and in extreme cases, thoughts of self-harm and infanticide. In about half of all cases, symptoms actually begin during pregnancy ; in many others, they may not manifest for weeks after delivery, and some experts suggest that doctors should consider postpartum depression as a diagnosis anywhere from six months before birth until a year after.
In extreme cases of postpartum depression , sufferers may experience drastic symptoms including hopelessness, panic, shame , guilt , suicidal thoughts, and even thoughts of infanticide enduring for weeks or months. Severe cases of PPD interfere with a new mother's ability to bond with her baby.
Researchers have identified several possible risk factors for postpartum depression , including marital stress , limited social support, smoking , hormonal imbalance, a personal history of depression or anxiety, and the recent death of a loved one. A conscious awareness of one’s potential risk factors, and an openness to seeking help if and when symptoms arise, can lead a sufferer to seek and access effective treatment while limiting the potential effect on their child’s development and their family relationships.
Preventing, Recognizing, and Treating Postpartum
Given the exhaustion of becoming a parent and the demands of the role, it’s not uncommon for new mothers and fathers sometimes to cry. But new mothers suffering from postpartum depression may cry all day, and feel unable to function. They may want to sleep all the time—or, in some cases, find it impossible to sleep at all. When a new parent experiences these symptoms, or rage, thoughts of self-harm, or a fear or aversion to their baby, they should seek treatment, or, if they cannot muster the energy, a loved one should step up to help them.
Postpartum depression is typically treated with a combination of approaches including talk therapy, antidepressants , hormonal therapy, and support group attendance. A promising new medication recently approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, known as brexanalone, can alleviate symptoms in a matter of days with benefits that can last a month, although it must be administered in a hospital setting.
Make sure not to let their self-care lapse. Clinicians advise new moms to maintain healthy sleep, exercise, and eating routines, to take advantage of support from their social networks, and to find ways to make time for themselves. Resisting the urge to criticize themselves for being tired or unsure of themselves is also important.
Spend time with their new child. New fathers are vulnerable to depression , and depressed fathers are less engaged with their children, but research suggests that it’s a lack of engagement with their newborns that may actually spur depression in new dads. Men who spent more time with their infants were less likely to be depressed a year later. Becoming a father triggers changes in men as well as women, including hormonal shifts, greater relationship stress, and pressures that challenge their identity . And while new fathers appear to experience depression at similar rates as new moms, their risk may be greater because they are far less likely to seek treatment for it.
Explore More About Postpartum Depression
For a comprehensive understanding of postpartum depression, read our complete guide: