Having a baby is one of the happiest occasions in any woman’s life. Most women tend to feel extremely sad after the birth of the baby. These mood disturbances occurring after pregnancy are referred to as postpartum depression. Around 80% of women tend to suffer from this problem. Women also tend to feel along, upset and having unloving thoughts towards their child and this is accompanied with guilt for having those thoughts and feelings.

In most of the cases the symptoms tend to mild and go away in a few days. However in around 10 to 20% women disabling kind of mood disorder known as postpartum depression is observed. Baby blues refer to a phase of heightened emotions that is observed among women who have given birth recently. This state normally peaks around 3 to 5 days after delivery and may last for several days to around 2 weeks.

In this stage the woman tends to cry easily and may find it difficult to sleep well or may feel irritated. This condition is fairly common and so is not considered as an illness. This condition does not interfere with the ability of the woman to take care of the child. Postpartum depression is not related to any previous mental illness and cannot be caused by stress. But a previous history of depression and stress can cause the stage of blues to develop into major depression.

Women experience postpartum depression may experience depression, tearfulness and may find it difficult to enjoy pleasurable activities. They may feel tired and have appetite problems. Such women may have suicidal thoughts and feel that they are inadequate as parents. Such women may have negative thoughts of harming the infant though such thoughts are not acted upon. In rare cases women may suffer from postpartum psychosis and in this condition the woman may experience psychotic symptoms in around 3 weeks after giving birth.

In postpartum psychosis the woman may have false beliefs and suffer from hallucinations of hearing or seeing non existant things. Causes of postpartum depression include hormonal imbalance. The levels of progesterone, cortisol and estrogen tend to fall rapidly around 48 hours after the delivery and women developing this condition tend to be more sensitive towards the hormonal changes.

Childbirth is actually a time of huge change for women and women might find it difficult to adjust to these changes thereby contributing to the postpartum depression. Other contributory factors may include marital problems, professional problems and lack of proper social support. Physical changes in the body following childbirth can make women feel all the more tired. Many women also feel overwhelmed by the responsibility of motherhood and the stress can increase the depression.

Broken sleep patterns, feeling trapped within the confines of the house and feeling less attractive can all contribute towards postpartum depression. This condition may also include physical symptoms like chest pain, numbness, rapid heat beat, shakiness, shortness of breath. If the woman is not able to cope with the activities and is unable to care for the child or experienced intense depression then it is advisable to seek medical attention.

Likewise medical help should be sought if the depression continues after a month following the delivery. The diagnosis of postpartum depression is done by evaluation of the symptoms and their duration along with severity. It is advisable for the woman suffering from this condition to surround herself with supportive friends and family members. Getting enough rest is also important and it is also advisable to ask for help in taking care of the child. Spending time with the husband can also help the woman to overcome the depression.