The delivery went well, no complications and a shorter time than expected. Cassandra looked forward to coming home and spending time with her new baby Carolyn. About three weeks later, all hell broke loose. Cassadra began to feel depressed, lethargic and even had thoughts of suicide. No matter what she tried, she couldn't shake these negative feelings. Her problems went well beyond the "baby blues," a short-term mild state of depression.
And, indeed, postpartum depression is much more severe than the baby blues. Typically, the mother is inexplicably sad, has mood swings, weeps for no reason, and displays irritability and fatigue. How do you tell if the sadness you feel is a minor problem or a more severe concern? Answer the questions below, which were developed by the Postpartum Stress Center. The more questions you answer "yes," the more likely you are to be suffering from postpartum depression. And, the more important it is to seek help. Do you...
Have trouble sleeping?
Find you're exhausted most of the time?
Notice a decrease in your appetite?
Worry about little things that never used to bother you?
Wonder if you'll ever have time to yourself again?
Think your children would be better off without you?
Worry that your husband will get tired of you feeling this way?
Snap at your husband and children over everything?
Think everyone else is a better mother than you are?
Cry over the slightest thing?
No longer enjoy the things you used to enjoy?
Isolate yourself from your friends and neighbors?
Fear leaving the house or being alone?
Have anxiety attacks?
Have unexplained anger?
Have difficulty concentrating?
Think something else is wrong with you or your marriage?
Feel like you will always feel this way and never get better?
It is believed that 20 percent of women get postpartum depression, but in different degrees of seriousness. There are several possible reasons. A hereditary predisposition (i.e. family history of depression or anxiety), chronic sleep problems from all-night feedings, major hormonal changes, medical complications in either mother or infant, tendency to have a lower self-esteem, previous postpartum or other clinical depression, absence of support from family and friends, and isolation. Postpartum depression typically occurs one to three months after the birth, but may appear right after or up to one year after the birth of the child.
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