A new baby, whether your first, second, or seventh, can come with a lot of other “newness.” New responsibilities, new memories, new roles, new aches, new fears— parenthood comes with the good, the bad, and all the in between. Adjusting and finding ways to balance this new normal can easily overwhelm the best of us. While newness is one change that comes from bringing a baby into the world, there is a huge difference between the blues, stress and emotion from sleeplessness, and the very serious mental health diagnosis called Postpartum Depression.

Let’s face it, every new mom will be impacted by the chemical changes that come from postpartum hormones, and every feeling, task, frustration is amplified and can quickly push a new mom closer to her breaking points. It’s important to understand the line between one off day and a very serious mental health diagnosis. Monitoring and tracking postpartum signs and symptoms is imperative to knowing when to seek additional support.

The “Baby Blues”

60-80% of new moms begin to feel a newfound sadness during the first week post-delivery. This can manifest as crying spells, increased anxiety, irritability and mood swings, lack of patience, changes in appetite / sleep, and a general feeling of overwhelm and exhaustion. Levels of estrogen and progesterone drop drastically, baby and you get (maybe) 2-3 hours of sleep at a time, there suddenly exists an ever-growing list of to-dos, not to mention a feeling of not being at your best. With adjustment and some much-needed rest, these negative feelings should begin to decrease within the next two weeks. The baby blues are normal and to be expected as the new moms body shifts from having the very high hormone load required to sustain a baby, to the different physical and hormonal needs of a lactating caregiver.

Postpartum Depression Symptoms

15% of new moms are diagnosed with Postpartum Depression (PPD) which can persist past those first few weeks, sometimes into the first year or longer. Symptoms can look similar to “baby blues” but they can also look drastically different. According to the Mayo Clinic, Postpartum Depression symptoms may include:

• Depressed mood or severe mood swings
• Crying too much
• Difficulty bonding with your baby
• Withdrawing from family and friends
• Loss of appetite or eating much more than usual
• Inability to sleep, called insomnia, or sleeping too much
• Overwhelming tiredness or loss of energy
• Less interest and pleasure in activities you used to enjoy
• Intense irritability and anger
• Fear that you’re not a good mother
• Hopelessness
• Feelings of worthlessness, shame, guilt or inadequacy
• Reduced ability to think clearly, concentrate or make decisions
• Restlessness
• Severe anxiety and panic attacks
• Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby
• Recurring thoughts of death or suicide

Feelings of self harm or thoughts to harm another constitute a mental health crisis and should be managed by an emergency room or crisis center. If the other mentioned thoughts and feelings endure without change past the two-week point, reach out to your PCP, pediatrician, partner, or trusted other to get help. PPD is treatable with counseling, medication, and expert guided self-care.

Regardless of symptoms, it is essential to nurture yourself so that you can best nurture another little human. Incorporating a routine that works for you and your family can be challenging and finding creative ways to structure self-care into life with a newborn is key. Remember to give yourself grace, the perfect parent does not exist. Here are some self-care recommendations.

Sleep

When baby sleeps, take advantage and catch some zzzz’s yourself. Assign shifts where a trusted other takes over baby duties, to allow yourself some much-deserved rest.

Nutrition

Add restorative, energizing foods like whole grains, salmon, and bananas to your grocery list. Wear your baby while preparing meals—research has shown enormous benefit for mental health and attachment.

Support

Utilize Facetime to socialize with friends and family virtually. Invite a friend over for emotional and social support—chances are they will be down for all the baby cuddles so that you can take a break. If your budget allows for it, consider hiring a nanny.

Exercise

Get some steps in and get out of the house with an outdoor stroll or an errand-run with baby in tow.

Treat Yourself

Book a massage or manicure, set aside time for a relaxing bath or reflective journaling ritual—something that nourishes and restores you!

True Postpartum depression is a hormonally driven mental health diagnosis that can be treated with mental health and medical support, seek expert support and believe that wellbeing will be restored.

Written by Counseling Intern Michelle Reiser.

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References:

American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787

“Is It Postpartum Depression or ‘Baby Blues’?” By Lisa Fields
https://www.webmd.com/depression/postpartum-depression/postpartum-depression-baby-blues

Murkoff, H. (2016). What to Expect When You’re Expecting (5th ed.). Workman Publishing Company.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/postpartum-depression/symptoms-causes/syc-20376617