Crying More Than Your Baby? Baby Blues Vs Postpartum Depression

Is life with your new baby so much less enjoyable than you thought it would be, and are you, in fact, feeling sad, irritated, or overwhelmed much of the time? You could be dealing with a classic case of the Baby Blues, or you may have postpartum depression. What are the differences between the two and what can you do to feel better?

What Are The Baby Blues?

You've been building up to that end goal — your baby! — your whole pregnancy. For approximately 40 weeks, your body was ravaged by a novel hormonal cocktail, subject to constant physical changes, and, all too often, faced with unpleasant side effects like pregnancy nausea, heartburn, and back pain. While you were expecting your baby, you will have thought about what they'd be like and how they'd fit into your family.

Now that the little one has finally arrived, you're most probably exhausted from labor and birth. You'll also inevitably lack sleep. Newborns don't keep to the same schedule that allows you to function optimally, after all. In addition, each and every baby is different and this new human will take you a while to "figure out". Then, there's the hormonal changes. Yikes.

The so-called Baby Blues tend to hit between four and five days postpartum, and though there's no official medical explanation for the phenomenon yet, the sheer amount of changes you experience after having a new baby really do a plenty good job at explaining their cause.

Have you been hit by a typical case of the Baby Blues? If you have, you'll find yourself sad and even crying "for no reason", or perhaps irritable. You'll be impatient, go through mood swings, and could have feelings along the lines of "what did I get myself into?". You'll probably find yourself scatter-brained, unable to remember whether you changed that diaper already or not realizing you're still wearing your bathrobe until after you've left the house.

Your moments of feeling "weird" and "emotional" will come and go, however. You may actually feel fine most of the day. Feelings of self-harm, suicide, or harming your infant aren't part of the clinical picture of the Baby Blues.

READ Overcoming Postpartum Period and Its Difficulties

The Baby Blues are unpleasant, but normal. So long as you are pampered by others and given the opportunity to sleep enough as well as interact with other humans in a meaningful way, these initial symptoms will wear off by the time your little one is around two weeks old. That doesn't mean parenting your infant will suddenly be easy, but it does mean you generally feel positive about your life again.

New moms going through the Baby Blues do require help. That help should ideally come in the form of a mother's helper, a partner who runs you a nice aromatic bath, or a friend bringing you a huge tub of ice cream and some cute baby outfits — if you have the Baby Blues, you won't need to see a psychologist or psychiatrist.

How Postpartum Depression Differs From The Baby Blues

Postpartum depression may initially result in similar symptoms the Baby Blues would, but make no mistake: it's a whole other beast. Though the Baby Blues can lead to crying bouts and moments of dark contemplation, signs of postpartum depression (PPD) are severe enough to seriously impact your daily functioning and relationship with your baby. Rather than coming and going, postpartum depression hangs over you like a dark cloud.

You may be suffering from postpartum depression if you're having difficulty bonding with your newborn, and perhaps have feelings of harming yourself or your baby. As with other forms of depression, symptoms can include a lack of motivation, not enjoying the things you previously loved, socially withdrawing from others, a loss of appetite or a tendency to binge-eat, and near-constant feelings of sadness, anger, irritability and worthlessness. Women suffering from postpartum depression will worry about their abilities to be a good parent, and will likely experience insomnia beyond the baby keeping them up.

Postpartum psychosis, a severe form of postpartum depression, can actually lead to delusions and hallucinations, causing sufferers to become extremely paranoid.

What To Do If You Think You Have PPD

Unlike the Baby Blues, postpartum depression can't simply be expected to go away on its own. Remember, though, that postpartum depression doesn't mean that you are a bad mother. Though seeking help may feel scary — even more so because you are depressed — postpartum depression isn't anything to be ashamed of. Likely caused by a combination of hormones and brain chemistry, it's simply something that happens. A lot.

If you think you have postpartum depression, you may feel like you're alone, but you are not. Up to 20 percent of all new mothers will experience symptoms.

With the right help, those dark clouds can lift, and your life can become enjoyable again. Don't hesitate to call your doctor, then, knowing in advance that they've most likely already seen so many moms with PPD that they almost consider your call routine. Seek help if your symptoms don't clear up within two weeks after giving birth, if they are getting worse, or if you honestly don't want to go on any more. Should you have symptoms of postpartum psychosis, you are suicidal, or have thoughts of harming your baby, immediate help is needed and even going to the ER is a good course of action.

READ Baby Blues and Postpartum Depression (PPD): Causes and Treatment

In addition, if your life is simply incredibly overwhelming at the moment, getting additional support in caring for your baby will help you on your road to recovery. Consider hiring a mother's helper or a cleaning lady, and make getting together with other adults in an intellectually and emotionally fulfilling manner a priority.

Postpartum depression sucks, but it can be overcome. In no time, this period of your life will become nothing but a memory and you will be free to enjoy the rest of your life with your child.