Postpartum Depression Health Center

Understanding Postpartum Depression -- Symptoms

What Are the Symptoms of Postpartum Depression?

Symptoms of postpartum depression (PDD) can be divided into three categories:

• Postpartum blues (baby blues). Very short in duration, may not require formal treatment but supportive care only
• Postpartum depression. Lasts longer, is more debilitating, and requires medical care
• Postpartum psychosis. Most severe form, requires aggressive psychiatric care

There are many possible symptoms of postpartum depression, including the following:

• Inability to sleep or sleeping a lot  
• Change in appetite  
• Extreme concern and worry about the baby or a lack of interest or feelings for the baby  
• Feeling unable to love the baby or your family  
• Anger toward the baby, your partner, or other family members  
• Anxiety or panic attacks  
• Fear of harming your baby; these thoughts may be obsessive, and you may be afraid to be left alone in the house with your baby.  
• Irritability  
• Sadness or excessive crying  
• Difficulty concentrating or remembering  
• Feelings of doubt, guilt, helplessness, hopelessness, or restlessness  
• Lethargy or extreme fatigue  
• Loss of interest in hobbies or other usual activities  
• Mood swings marked by exaggerated highs and lows  
• Feeling emotionally numb  
• Numbness or tingling in your arms or legs  
• Hyperventilating  
• Frequent calls to the pediatrician with an inability to be reassured  
• Recurrent thoughts of death, which may include thinking about or even planning suicide  
• Obsessive-compulsive thoughts and behaviors that are intrusive

Call Your Doctor About Postpartum Depression If:

• You have hallucinations and delusions about yourself or your baby; this is an emergency.
• You have thoughts about hurting yourself or your baby  
• You have symptoms or signs of depression that have lasted longer than two weeks after childbirth or that began within two months of giving birth

WARNING:

Suicidal (intent or attempt to kill self) and homicidal (intent or attempt to kill the new born) thoughts and/or attempts are very serious and are real risks of postpartum depression. These symptoms are not a myth and/or imaginary, as several cases have been well publicized.