The process of carrying a child can lead to a lot of emotional unsettledness during the pregnancy and after the child is born. The result of this emotional unsettledness may lead to postpartum depression also known as ‘baby blues’. Postpartum depression occurs after the child is born and it can be detected by changes such as difficulty sleeping, anxiety, mood swings and crying spells among many.
The Postpartum Depression Organization states that the “first thing to identify when looking for signs of postpartum depression is to look for any noticeable and concerning change in personality, mood, and behavior.” The organisation also adds that these may not be frequent as they may come and go, they may however, sometimes be chronic and long-lasting.
Below are a few warning signs associated with postpartum depression as provided by WebMD.
Your “baby blues” don’t get better – it’s common to have a dip in mood during your baby’s first 2 weeks. After that, you should feel better. But if you’re still sad or even hopeless weeks later, and the feelings are growing intense, that’s more than the blues.
Sadness or guilt consume your thoughts. Feeling upset once in a while is normal. But if you have frequent crying spells, or you often feel unhappy about being a parent, or you’re often “down on yourself” as a mom, these may be among the first signs of postpartum depression.
You worry you won’t be a good mom. Who hasn’t worried about this? It’s common among moms whose babies are sick or premature or were born with special needs. But if this is not your situation, then having constant doubts about yourself as a mother could mean something else.
You think about harming yourself. Thoughts of suicide, or hurting yourself or your baby, are advanced signs of postpartum depression and even postpartum psychosis, a rare and serious mental illness that happens with postpartum depression. If you’re having any kind of suicidal thoughts, you’re in crisis and need to call your doctor or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
Also see: Causes and symptoms of prenatal depression
