Baby Blues vs Postpartum Depression
Postpartum is a wild ride. One minute you're evicting your womb-mate and the next you’re expected to know everything about how to keep them alive. On top of that, your hormones run the show, which means that sometimes you don’t know which “version” of yourself is going to show up that day. All throughout pregnancy we’re told that new parenthood is beautiful and filled with baby snuggles, contact naps, and precious bonding time. While true, it’s interesting that very rarely are the potential emotional struggles forewarned. Maybe it’s because we don’t want to scare off new parents. Maybe it’s because we don’t understand those struggles ourselves. Maybe it’s simply that we only want to remember the good moments of new parenthood and pretend the rest didn’t happen. Either way, parenthood can be a more rewarding experience if we are truly prepared for its reality.
When you think of the word “postpartum” in a mental health context, a myriad of words and phrases probably come to mind - depressed, overwhelmed, harming baby, sick, alone, darkness, and scary, just to name a few. While this may be the stigma we associate with postpartum mental health, it doesn’t accurately describe the reality of the situation. Baby blues and postpartum depression, while similarly presenting, are actually different! By knowing the differences, you can make your postpartum experience more manageable and help others do the same.
Baby blues are the immediate intense mood changes you may feel directly after birth. They may look like crying for no apparent reason, feeling elevated levels of anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, and even feeling general sadness or despair. These feelings can start a couple hours after giving birth and can last up to about 2-3 weeks. A whopping 80% of birthing people experience the baby blues! Baby blues happen because of the intense hormonal swings and sleep deprivation that occur following birth, and they are completely uncorrelated with previous mental health history. In other words, no one is guaranteed smooth sailing and there’s a better than decent chance that you’re not alone in the thick of it.
Postpartum depression is a little more nuanced. While the symptoms look very similar to baby blues’, postpartum depression can last a much longer time. If you’ve reached 2-3 weeks postpartum and are still experiencing these intense feelings, there’s a good chance you’re actually experiencing postpartum depression and not the baby blues. 1 in 5 birthing people are usually affected by it. Unlike baby blues, postpartum depression IS correlated with previous mental health history. So, if you experienced depression before pregnancy, there’s a good chance it’ll still be there afterward. It might just manifest slightly differently in your thoughts and behaviors. Postpartum depression also affects 1 in 10 partners and can look the same as the birthing person’s symptoms. It can definitely be a family affair, so let’s make sure we check in on dad too!
The good news? They’re both treatable! You don’t have to silently suffer!
There are so many ways to cope with these feelings on your own as well as with the help of professionals. If you feel like you need some extra support around your postpartum journey, reach out to friends, family, your healthcare provider, and/or your friendly neighborhood therapist (aka Soulfully Rooted Wellness). Just because baby blues and postpartum depression are fairly common, doesn’t mean that you have to push through and wear a mask. Let’s build a community that openly supports the mental health of strong individuals who are raising our future generation!
Written by: Sarah Johnson, LMSW
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