Postpartum Depression vs. Normal “New Mom” Stress

Worried Mother Holding Baby In NurseryWhat’s the difference between postpartum depression and normal “new mom” stress?

Your body goes through many hormonal changes after you give birth. Some women experience the “baby blues,” which are weepy, sad feelings that usually start on the second or third day after birth and last around 10 days. About 8 out of 10 new mothers experience the baby blues.

In some women, hormonal changes can lead to a more severe form of the baby blues called postpartum depression. Postpartum depression may start as early as the second or third day after birth or take several weeks to a year to develop.

Postpartum Progress has a great blog post that compares the baby blues to postpartum depression. For instance, do you have a desire to run away during the challenging moments, but this feeling goes away when your baby is calm, you get sleep, etc.? That’s a normal feeling after having a baby. Do you have feelings of regret over becoming a mom that do not seem to go away? You may need postpartum support.

For more information about support groups and other resources, call Woman’s Social Services at 225-924-8456.

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