Healing After Childbirth
The "baby blues" are not a myth. After the giddiness of the birth wears off and the reality of motherhood—complete with little sleep—sets in (helped along by plummeting hormone levels), you may feel down, weepy, depressed. This is completely normal and usually disappears within about 10 days. If those "blue" feelings persist, however, or become more intense, you may have a condition called postpartum depression. Other symptoms include:
- Feeling restless, irritable or anxious
- Loss of interest or pleasure in life
- Loss of appetite
- Less energy and motivation (not related to lack of sleep)
- Problems falling asleep or staying asleep or waking up too early in the morning.
- Feeling worthless, hopeless or guilty
- Feeling like life isn't worth living
- Showing little interest in the baby
- Unexplained weight loss or gain
If you have several of these symptoms for more than a week or two, call your health care professional or ask someone to call for you to make an appointment. Support, therapy and, if necessary, medication can restore you to your old self. Postpartum depression is not a normal phase. Please get help, if you need it.
