Postpartum Depression vs Postpartum Blues

Overview

Postpartum depression or Postpartum Blues results from mood swings almost every young mother experiences after giving birth. Mostly the trigger is the massive hormonal change a woman undergoes, and this leads us to feel overwhelmed by so many different emotions, it all gets mixed up and messy… So don`t be surprised if you find yourself laughing and crying at the same time. Unfortunately, surprisingly lots of women harmless-looking emotional chaos can lead to severe postpartum depression. But where is the difference, what is the border and how do you know? Let us take a deeper look into Postpartum Depression vs Postpartum Blues.

The first few days at home with the new baby

So we brought home our brand new baby, but the initial feeling of happiness and excitement turned into insecurity and a sense of unbearable responsibility and commitment.

Sitting on the porch breastfeeding or watching our sweet baby sleep is not as idyllic and peaceful as we imagined it would be…

Actually, this is not an exception.

The overwhelming emotions, together with the rapid change in our hormones, lead to chemical changes in our brains. Many moms also have a difficult time getting enough sleep and all that leads us to exhaustion and mood swings, the so-called baby blues.

In fact, about 80% of all women of live births, suffer from Baby Blues or more severely- from Postpartum Depression. In developing countries, 10 to 20% of women suffer from Postpartum Depression.

What is the difference between Postpartum Depression vs Postpartum Blues?

With Baby Blues, we may experience mood swings, fatigue, anxiety, or crying spells. While Postpartum Depression could be mistaken for Postpartum Blues at first, its symptoms are much more severe and do not pass quickly. In fact, they can start interfering with daily tasks and grow into serious thoughts of hurting themselves or the baby or even suicide.

Symptoms

Postpartum Blues

mood swings
sadness
exhaustion
the feeling of being overwhelmed
trouble sleeping
crying

Postpartum Depression

depressed mood
excessive crying
fatigue and exhaustion
anger
hopelessness
the difficulty in bonding with the baby which causes fear of not being a good mother
shame, guilt, anxiety, or even panic attacks as a result of our feelings
feeling of worthlessness
lack of interest in activities we used to like
being unable to enjoy things
the difficulty of getting up in the morning
difficulty in doing daily tasks
thoughts of harming ourselves and/or the baby
thoughts of suicide

Are some women more likely to be affected than others?

There are differences in our genetics, lifestyles, outer circumstances, and habits. Therefore, some women may be at higher risk due to risk factors like:

History of alcohol or drug abuse
Having experienced domestic violence
Lack of support from loved persons
History of mental disorder
Postpartum depression in previous pregnancy or childbirth
Poverty
Extreme stress
Medical complications during childbirth or after, or medical problems with the baby

Any woman can develop Postpartum Depression regardless of age, background, or any other circumstances, also if none of the higher risk factors applies.

How can Postpartum Depression be treated, and when should we seek help?

Treating depression has an overall success rate of about 80%. Severe postpartum depression may interfere with our ability to care for ourselves and the baby properly and therefore should be treated. The sooner we start treatment the more successful it might be.

When having recurrent thoughts of hurting ourselves or the baby we should immediately seek for help. Talk to a beloved person, call a doctor, or try live chat or suicide hotlines.

What does the treatment include?

Talk therapy: Talking to a mental health professional and working through our negative thoughts to change them.

Medication: Antidepressant medication changes chemicals in our brains. They take a while to be effective and should be discussed with a doctor if safe and beneficial in case we decide to breastfeed.

Treatment may include a combination of both. Left untreated, postpartum depression could last for months or even years and leave us suffering and unable to do our daily tasks.

Postpartum psychosis

Postpartum psychosis is a severe condition that develops in the first weeks after birth and includes signs like:

Hallucinations
Confusion
Obsessive thoughts about the baby
Paranoia
Excessive agitation

Postpartum Psychosis sadly leads to suicide or infanticide in 10% of all cases and requires immediate treatment.

What can others do to help?

If we suspect a new mom of being depressive we should encourage her to talk about how she feels and seek help. Many moms do not recognize their selves being depressed or are ashamed and feel guilty. Actually, only part of all depressed mothers really reach out and get treated as a result of shame and guilt. They lack to admit to themselves or others that there is a problem.

Therefore, the actual rate of postpartum depression is fast higher than estimated as it can refer only to reported cases.

Summary

Are you a new mom or do you have someone near who just had a child?

If you are a new mom, talk about how you feel to people you trust and feel you can open up to. Try and go out as much as possible with your baby rather than only being at home. Ask about anything you feel unsure of, and don`t be ashamed to call hotlines or seek professional help, if you feel unheard or misunderstood by the people surrounding you.

If someone close to you just had a baby, reach out and ask her about herself. Even a small phone call or a quick visit can make a big difference.

Caring for a new baby requires a lot of strength, and as human beings, we can give much more if we also receive it. Love is the key to so many problems. A mom who is nourished with kindness, love, encouragement, and support, is much more likely to be able to give those to her children in return.