Do I have a form of postpartum depression?

In recent years, postpartum mood disorders have received more media and public attention. You may even be wondering if you or someone you know has postpartum mood disorder.

It is important to understand that this is a broad term that refers to a wide range of emotions that a woman can experience after having a baby. Postpartum mood disorders are generally divided into three subcategories, which include "baby blues", postpartum depression, and postpartum psychosis.

In recent years, new categories have been added to the group of postpartum mood disorders, including postpartum anxiety, postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder, and postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder. These subgroups have many symptoms and vary in severity and intensity.

What is "baby blues"?

Baby blues is the mildest form of postpartum depression. Between 50% and 75% of all new mothers experience negative feelings after giving birth. These sensations usually come on suddenly four to five days after the baby is born.

The most common symptoms include:

Crying for no apparent reason
Mood swings with irritability and anxiousness
Feeling overwhelmed
Change in eating and sleeping

Although these symptoms are quite unpleasant, they usually go away on their own within a week or two. If you get as much rest as possible and have a good support system, these symptoms may seem less severe.

What is postpartum depression?

About 15% of new mothers experience what is classified as postpartum depression. Symptoms may appear a few days after birth, and sometimes up to a year. Women suffering from postpartum depression alternate between good and bad days. Symptoms can be mild or severe and usually last more than 2 weeks.

Here are some of the symptoms:

Fatigue
Feeling sad, hopeless, and/or overwhelmed
Trouble sleeping and eating
Feelings of guilt and worthlessness
Losing interest in things that you used to enjoy
Withdrawing from family and friends
No interest in your baby
Thoughts of hurting yourself or your baby

Because postpartum depression can come in different degrees of severity, it's important that any woman experiencing these symptoms discuss this with her doctor. Treatment may include therapy and/or medication.

What is postpartum anxiety?

Postpartum anxiety affects about 10% of women in childbirth. These women may experience anxiety on its own or may also experience depression accompanied by anxiety. Postpartum anxiety can also include postpartum panic disorder, which includes panic attacks accompanied by feelings of anxiety.

Symptoms include:

Changes in eating and sleeping
Racing thoughts that you have difficulty controlling
Constant worry
Impending fear that something bad is going to happen
Trouble sitting still and focusing
Physical symptoms such as dizziness, hot flashes, and nausea

Postpartum anxiety is treatable and often resolves once the right treatment is found.

What is postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder?

Postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder is one of the newer disorders that falls under the group of postpartum mood disorders. It is estimated that about 3-5% of postpartum women experience some symptoms of postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Symptoms may include:

Too busy worrying about your child's safety
Having to do certain things over and over again to reduce his anxiety and fears. - This may include counting things, organizing things, making lists, checking and rechecking actions already taken, and cleaning up multiple times. This may manifest itself in cleaning, feeding or caring for a child.
Can recognize these obsessions, but feels the horror and shame associated with them
Intrusive ideas or thoughts that are constant, repetitive, and may include disturbing mental images of the child.
Fear of being alone with the child

Women with postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder often know that these thoughts, actions, and feelings are not normal and do not affect them. But an obsession can prevent a mother from properly caring for her baby or enjoying her baby. With the right treatment, women with postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder can free themselves from the control of these obsessions and compulsions.

What is postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder?

Postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often affects women who have experienced real or imagined trauma during childbirth or immediately after the birth of a child. It is believed that about 1-6% of women suffer from postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder after childbirth.

Injuries that can cause postpartum PTSD include:

Unplanned Cesarean
Emergency complication such as prolapsed cord
A birth that includes invasive interventions such as the use of vacuum extractor or forceps
Baby having to stay in neonatal intensive care unit
Lack of support and assurance during the delivery
Lack of communication from the birth and support team
Feelings of powerlessness

Symptoms of postpartum PTSD may include:

Nightmares and flashbacks to the birth or trauma
Anxiety and panic attacks
Feeling a detachment from reality and life
Irritability, sleeplessness, hypervigilance, startle more easily
Avoidance of anything that brings reminders of the event such as people, places, smells, noises, feelings
May begin re-experiencing past traumatic events, including the event that triggered the disorder

Women with postpartum PTSD should talk to their doctor about their feelings. With proper treatment, these symptoms will decrease and eventually disappear.

What is postpartum psychosis?

Postpartum psychosis is the most severe form of postpartum depression, but fortunately the rarest form. It occurs in 1-2 pregnancies per 1000. The onset is very sudden and severe, usually within 2-3 weeks after delivery.

Symptoms are characterized by a loss of contact with reality and may include: