Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression occurs in women who have given birth to babies.  Even though the birth of a baby is expected to be a happy time in someone’s life, for a woman with postpartum depression it is anything but happy.   These feelings are often called “baby blues” but it is much more serious than “the blues”.   Postpartum depression can lead to a woman not bonding with her infant, and might also have her getting feelings of hopelessness and thoughts of suicide and or harming her child.

Postpartum depression can be a debilitating disease and occurs in about one of everything eight women who have a baby.   It most commonly occurs one to three months after the baby is delivered.     Some symptoms of postpartum depression can include:

• a depressed mode
• severe anxiety
• problems sleeping
• increased fatigue
• guilt, hopelessness and feeling worthless
• thoughts of harming oneself or the baby
• a problem concentrating

Treatment for postpartum depression might include medications, which can include hormone treatment.   A woman might be hospitalized if it is a severe case of postpartum depression which might include psychosis.