Symptoms Of Post Partum Depression

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Symptoms of Post Partum Depression

What is post partum depression?

Post partum depression is an illness that has to be taken serious that can happen in the first 3 months after a woman has a baby.  This has also been known to happen after a miscarriage or stillbirth.

The symptoms of post partum depression imparts feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and being worthless.  There may be periods where you have problems caring or feeling a bond with your newborn.

Post partum depression is not what some people call the "baby blues," which many women will have in there first couple of weeks after giving birth.

The symptoms of "baby blues" are having  trouble sleeping and feeling moody, wanting to cry, and being overwhelmed. The feelings of "baby blues" also are experienced right along with being happy about your baby. 

Most people who get the "baby blues" will find that it goes away in a couple of weeks.  Post Partum depression on the other hand can last for months at a time.

In some instances, a woman may have a severe form of depression called post partum psychosis. This will have the new mom acting strangely, a psychosis of seeing and hearing things that are not there, and could possibly be a threat to herself and the baby.  Post Partum psychosis should be considered a very serious problem and could quickly become worse putting others in danger.

It is imperative for someone suffering from symptoms of post partum depresion to get some form of help, the sooner help arrives the sooner the problem will go away and then the mother can start enjoying motherhood.

What Causes the Symptoms of Post Partum Depression 

What Causes the Symptoms of Post Partum Depression?

Post partum depression is normally attributed to changes in hormone levels after child birth.  Any new mother has a chance of suffering from the symptoms of post partum depresion in the few months after a childbirth, stillbirth or a miscarriage.

There are greater risks of experiencing the symptoms of post partum depression if:

  • You have a history of the symptoms of post partum depression in the past.

  • You don't have any support from family, friends, or your partner.

  • Your baby suffers from colic.

  • You are suffering from excessive stress in your daily life.

    • The more serious condition of post partum psychosis will generally plague people who have a history of bipolar disorder or manic depression in their family.

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    Signs and Symptoms of Post Partum Depression 

    A new mom who is suffering from Symptoms of post partum depression may:

  • Have a strong feeling of sadness, and might feel that there is no hope.

  • Others will feel anxious like not knowing where to turn.

  • Some may lose the normal pleasures of things they used to enjoy.

  • Many experience appetite loss and could see a rapid weight loss, while others will experience just the opposite.

  • Some new moms will suffer from insomnia.

  • Loss of concentration.


    • Most of these signs and symptoms will start in the first days after giving birth,  but some people might not experience the symptoms of post partum depression for a couple of weeks after giving birth. It all depends on the hormone levels at the time.

    A new mother who is suffering from the symptoms of post partum depression could feel not connected to her newborn.
    Serious psychosis could produce hallucinations both visual and audible. Post Partum Depression sufferers could have thoughts of suicide or of wanting to harm her baby.

    Suffering from psychosis could have the person acting out these thoughts, which is why it can be a serious matter.

    Could You Be Experiencing the Symptoms of Post Partum Depression? 

    Some symptoms of post partum depressionare:

  • You have feelings of extreme sadness and depression

  • You are crying for no apparent reason

  • You have feelings of guilt or feelings like there is no hope, maybe you are feeling worthless

  • Thoughts of ending your life have crossed your mind

  • Having feelings like there is no support from family members

  • noticing deviations in appetite and sleeping patterns

  • Feeling like you can't be still or out of control, could be feeling like you are having no energy to do anything

  • Having problems concentrating on anything

  • pulling away from your friends and family, don't want to be around others


    • Some new mothers could be experiencing more physical symptoms like:

  • Hot flashes and feeling weak

  • Bouts of diarrhea, constipation or excessive gas

  • Feeling heavy headed or experiencing frequent headaches or migraines


    • It's not uncommon for new mothers who are experiencing symptoms of post partum depression to have thoughts of harming their newborns, even though  they would probably never do it. While the news is full of stories of mothers harming their babies, it is actually a very rare occurrence.  

    In these rare cases, where moms have harmed their babies, they have experienced post partum psychosis and have lost touch with reality.  The symptoms of Post Partum psychosis normally only affects about 1 in 10000 new mothers, so it is a very rare happening.  Even mothers experiencing psychosis rarely harm their babies.

    What You Can Do When Experiencing Symptoms of Post Partum Depression 

    There are things you can do at home to help prevent or lessen the symptoms of post partum depression.

    How You Can Help Yourself

  • Try and get 8 hours of sleep per day


  • Keep up a well balanced diet


  • Find time to get some exercise


  • Try meditation, even if it's just a few minutes of quiet time by yourself


  • Go easy on yourself and your emotions


  • Get support from your friends, and family


  • Take some time for yourself where you are away from your baby


  • Learn about your condition and how to combat it


    • Informing yourself as much as possible to the symptoms of post partum depression can only help in overcoming the condition. Depression doesn't have to run your life. It is a beatable condition if you put forth just a slight bit of effort.

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