Your Labor Room: Is it Baby Blues. . .or More?

Image by moominmolly via FlickrYour little bundle of joy has arrived and you couldn't be happier! Or at least you thought you would be happy, but you don't feel happy. In fact, you feel sad, very sad.
You may be one of as many as 80% of mothers who experience some type of Postpartum Depression.
Sometimes referred to as "Baby Blues", many women just feel sad, for no specific reason. One woman described it perfectly to me the other day, "I just wasn't me anymore." Some women feel upset, afraid, alone or unloving toward their baby, their partner, or both.

The Baby Blues
The Baby Blues is a period of more sensitive emotions - similar to that experienced in the first trimester of pregnancy - but accentuated with the exhausted and sleep deprivation of caring for a newborn. This occurs in approximately 50% of all postpartum women and may last from a few days to a couple weeks after delivery, peaking within 3-5 days of delivery. Symptoms of Baby Blues may include:

Crying for no apparent reason, or more easily than usual
Difficulty sleeping even when tired
Feeling irritable, or "on edge" emotionally

Baby Blues is a temporary state and is considered a normal part of the postpartum condition. This is not a weakness or a character flaw, it is not a sign of being a "bad mother", it is simply part of giving birth. Baby Blues is not related to stress or more likely to occur because of the mother's previous mental illness.
One of the key factors in determining if what the new mom is experiencing is Baby Blues or something more serious is Baby Blues will not interfere with the mom's ability to care for herself and her baby. Also, for most women the symptoms remain mild and go away on their own.

More Serious Than Baby Blues
For another 10-20% of mothers, Postpartum Depression can be more than just "Baby Blues", it can be a more severe form of emotional distress, sometime called Postpartum Non-psychotic Depression. This usually occurs within a few months of delivery. Risk factors include:

Previous major depression
Previous Postpartum depression
Psychosocial stress
Inadequate social support
Previous premenstrual dysphoric disorder

Symptoms of Postpartum Non-psychotic Depression may appear from 24 hours to several months after delivery:

Sad mood, frequenct crying; crying easily
Inability to find pleasure in things that were once pleasurable
Trouble sleeping, even when fatigued
Anxiety, extreme worry over the baby's safety or her own safety
Changes in appetite, either not eating or over-eating
Fatigue
Feelings of inadequacy as a parent
Decreased interest in sex
Inability to concentrate
Feelings of rejection
Suicidal thoughts or expressions
Inability to properly care for the baby

If you have postpartum depression, prompt treatment can help you receive help for your symptoms — and begin enjoy your baby. These symptoms should be taken seriously. If you have these symptoms, or a new mother you know has these symptoms, it is imperative that she see a health care provider for proper treatment.

The Most Extreme Cases
Rarely, an extreme form of postpartum depression known as postpartum psychosis develops after childbirth. This is the most serious of all the Postpartum Depression categories and usually manifests itself within three weeks of giving birth, but can last for much longer. Thankfully, it is rare, but it requires immediate attention. A woman with Postpartum Psychosis may have periods of seeming well, and may even appear to have recovered. Women who have thoughts of hurting their babies are more likely to act upon those thoughts if they are suffering from Postpartum Psychosis. If untreated, postpartum psychotic depression has a likelihood of coming back after the postpartum period and after the birth of other children.

If you have experienced any form of Postpartum Depression you need to know when to seek immediate help:

Inability to sleep more than 2 hours per night
Thoughts of hurting yourself or killing yourself
Thoughts of hurting your baby or other children
Hearing voices or seeing things
Thoughts that your baby is evil

What Will Happen When I Seek Help?
During an evaluation, you can expect your health care provider to ask you about your symptoms, what they are, how long they have lasted and how bad they are. It is important to be as truthful as possible to these questions. You will also be asked about any risk factors you may have for depression, such as a family history of mental illness, drug and alcohol usage, family, marital or financial problems. To help with your diagnosis, your health care provider may use the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. In this questionnaire, 10 questions help to indicate your probability of having postpartum depression.

How is Postpartum Depression Treated?
The plan of care for Postpartum Depression will depend upon the severity of your depression, based upon the answers you have given your health care provider. There may be several aspects to your care, including referral for psychological help, individual and/or group therapy, medications, marriage counseling, support groups and financial counseling. There are also some things which you can do to aid the therapies suggested by your health care provider.

Don't be afraid to ask for help, especially in caring for the baby
Surround yourself with supportive family members and friends
Take care of yourself.
Get as much rest as you can -- rest when the baby naps.
Try not to spend much time alone.
Spend some time alone with your husband or partner.
Take a shower and get dressed every day.
Get out of the house. Take a walk, see a friend, do something you enjoy. Get someone to take care of the baby if you can; if you can't, take the baby with you.
Don't set unrealistic expectations.
Don't worry too much about the housework. No one is a Super-Mom. Ask friends and family for help.
Talk to other mothers. You can learn from each other, and their experiences can be reassuring.

Untreated, Postpartum depression symptoms can continue for months or years. The illness can cause prolonged misery for the mother and her family, hinder bonding of the mother and baby and even be dangerous if the mother considers hurting her child or herself. Intervention and support are essential.

Other Support References Depression After Delivery