What is postpartum depression? — Postpartum depression is a kind of depression that some people get after having a baby. "Postpartum" is another word for the period of time shortly after giving birth. Most people with postpartum depression start having symptoms within a month after giving birth. But it can be up to 12 months before symptoms start.

Depression can make you feel sad, down, hopeless, or cranky most of the day, almost every day. Another common sign of depression is no longer enjoying or caring about things you used to like to do.

After having a baby, many people get a mild type of postpartum depression called "postpartum blues." Within 2 or 3 days after giving birth, people with postpartum blues might:

●Be moody, irritable, or anxious

●Have trouble concentrating or sleeping

●Have crying spells

With postpartum blues, these symptoms are not severe and usually go away within 2 weeks. But in people with postpartum depression, the symptoms are more severe and last longer.

People who have a history of depression are more likely to get postpartum depression than people who have never been depressed.

What are the symptoms of postpartum depression? — It can be hard to tell if someone has postpartum depression, since some of the symptoms might also be caused by the stress of taking care of a newborn. For example, after having a new baby, it's normal to:

●Sleep too much or too little

●Feel tired or lack energy

●Have changes in your appetite, weight, or desire to have sex

But a person with postpartum depression might not be able to sleep even when their baby sleeps. Or they might have so little energy that they cannot get out of bed for hours.

They might also feel:

●Anxious, irritable, and angry

●Guilty or overwhelmed

●Unable to care for their baby

●Like a failure as a parent

If you want to hurt or kill yourself, see someone right away! — If you ever feel like you might want to hurt yourself or your baby, do one of these things:

●Call your doctor or nurse and tell them it is urgent

●Call for an ambulance (in the US and Canada, dial 9-1-1)

●Go to the emergency room at your local hospital

●Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255; www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org

If you think your partner might have postpartum depression, you should also get them help right away.

How is postpartum depression treated? — Treatments for depression can also be used to treat postpartum depression. The two main treatments for depression are:

●Taking medicines to relieve depression

●Talking with a therapist (such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, nurse, or social worker)

If you are breastfeeding, you might need to avoid certain medicines. That's because small amounts of medicine can get into your breast milk. For some medicines, this can be unhealthy for the baby. But not treating depression can also be harmful for both you and your baby, and there are many medicines for depression that do not seem to harm the baby. Your doctor can help you decide if you need medicine and the best one to take.

Can postpartum depression be prevented? — Maybe. If you have had postpartum depression before, you are more likely to get it again. You are also at higher risk if you have had depression in the past, even if you have not been pregnant before.

If you had postpartum depression before and took a medicine that helped you feel better, your doctor might prescribe that medicine to take again after the next time you give birth. Or your doctor might suggest talking to a therapist to help prevent postpartum depression.

More on this topic

Patient education: Depression (The Basics)
Patient education: Medicines for depression (The Basics)

Patient education: Depression in adults (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Depression treatment options for adults (Beyond the Basics)