What People Know As The Baby Blues

Babies can cause a number of emotional reactions in people around them, and particularly in those people who are most involved in the baby's early days. Excitement, joy, dread, anxiety, and even contentment have all been cited as possible reactions to a child coming into the family. However, a baby can also cause something that most people would not really expect to feel when a baby is around – depression.

Postpartum depression is a fact, though not many people would want to admit it. The so-called “baby blues” are relatively normal, as the hormones that flooded the mother's body during the pregnancy begin to fade away. There are some, however, wherein the depression is not normal. An estimated 10% of all mothers will end up experiencing something more than just hormones dying down, and will often find themselves feeling severe emotional distress. This problem is known as postpartum depression, which can develop into postpartum psychosis in some very rare, very extreme cases.

Experiencing this is not a character flaw or sign of weakness, though. In most cases, having this condition is a normal part of giving birth. It is only rarely capable of causing lasting damage, and prompt diagnosis and treatment can help a patient manage the symptoms until it goes away. It does not need to be said that managing the problem can help get it out of the way of what a mother should be doing after giving birth – enjoying the baby.

Many new mothers feel depressed after the birth of their child, but are extremely reluctant or embarrassed to admit such feelings. It is important to tell one's doctor of these feelings, however. This is particularly true if the signs and symptoms of it do not fade after a few weeks, or if they are of a severity that makes it impossible to perform daily tasks. Early intervention for this condition can help make the recovery process faster and more pleasant, as well as improve the time a mother spends with her newborn. Preventing the possibility of postpartum psychosis is also a positive.