Symptoms and Complications
For women experiencing the "baby blues", feelings of sadness,
anger, irritability, and insecurity are common. Self-doubts about being
a competent mother may contribute to these feelings. Bursting into tears often
occurs without reason. "Baby blues" may also include the occasional
negative thought about the baby. While these feelings are upsetting and disturbing,
they're actually perfectly normal, and women shouldn't feel guilty for feeling
them.
Postpartum depression is more severe and longer-lasting than the "baby
blues." In addition to the above symptoms women may also experience:
- constant fatigue
- lack of joy in life
- sense of numbness
- social withdrawal from family and friends
- lack of concern for self or the newborn baby
- severe insomnia
- overconcern for the baby
- loss of sexual responsiveness
- strong sense of failure and inadequacy
- severe mood swings
- appetite changes
- thoughts of suicide
Postpartum depression actually resembles many other forms of depression, with the added dimension that some of the symptoms involve thoughts about the baby. For example, the woman may not be either too concerned about the baby or not concerned enough; or she may have thoughts or fears of harming the baby.
Postpartum psychosis is a very serious condition that usually begins a couple of days or weeks after childbirth. A woman experiencing this form of depression has become severely depressed and may experience acute anxiety, restlessness, hallucinations, paranoia, and hysteria and have thoughts related to harming herself or the baby.