BABY BLUES

Many new mothers are surprised at how weak, alone, and upset they feel after giving birth. Their feelings don't seem to match the feelings they thought they would have. They wonder, "What have I got to be depressed about?" They fear that these feelings mean that they are bad mothers.

In fact, about 70-80% of women have baby blues after childbirth. About 2-3 days after birth, they begin to feel depressed, anxious, and upset. For no clear reason, they may feel angry with the new baby, their partners, or their other children. They:

May cry
May have trouble sleeping, eating, and making choices
Almost always question whether they can handle caring for a baby
These feelings may come and go in the first few days after childbirth. This seems strange and scary at the time. The baby blues often go away in a few hours or a week or so without treatment.

If you feel like you may have "Baby Blues" please discuss this with a family member, your partner, or your health provider. Rember, you are not alone.