BabyBlues&PostpartumDepression
BCReproductiveMentalHealthProgram
Thefirstfewweeksafterthebirthofababycanbeexciting.But
thistimecanalsobeverystressfulforawoman.Herbodyis
goingthroughchangesinhormones,dailyroutinesandsleeping
patterns.
Itsnotsurprisingthatmanywomenfeelsad,overwhelmedand
tearful.Sometimesitishardtoknowifthechangestoyour
moodareduetonormalbabybluesoramoreserious
postpartumdepression.
DepressioninPregnancy
Weusuallyhearaboutpostpartum(afterbirth)depression,but
depressioncanactuallybegininpregnancy.
812%ofpregnantwomenexperiencedepression
1016%ofwomenexperiencedepressioninthefirstyear
afterbirth(postpartum)
Ifyouarepregnantandworriedaboutyourmood,talktoyour
doctor.Treatingdepressioninpregnancycanreducetheriskof
depressionafterthebabyisborn.
BabyBlues
About80%ofmothersfeelthebabybluesorpostpartum
blues35daysaftergivingbirth.Theymay:
feelhappyoneminuteandsadthenextrapidmood
swings
feelhelpless,worried,irritableoranxious
cryforwhatseemslikenoreason
haveproblemssleeping
Thesearenormalfeelingsandresponseswhenwomenhavethe
postpartumblues.Usuallythesesymptomsgetbetterorgo
awaywithinaweekortwoanddonotrequiretreatment.But,
ifyourmooddoesnotimproveafter2weeksofgivingbirth,
youmaybeexperiencingpostpartumdepression.
PostpartumDepression(PPD)
Depressionaffectsawomansmood,behaviour,thoughtsand
physicalwellbeing.Somewomenmightstartfeelingdepressed
withinthefirstfewdaysafterthebabyisborn.Othersmight
notfeeldepresseduntilweeksormonthslater.Awomanwho
isexperiencingPPDmay:
Feeldepressedorextremelysad,mostofthedayand
nearlyeveryday
Feelirritableorangry
Feelguiltyorworthless
Feelhopelessandoverwhelmed
Youcanlearnmorebyreadingthisfactsheetbutitisalwaysa
goodideatotalktoyourhealthcareproviderifyoure
concernedaboutyourmood.
Thereishelpavailableforpostpartumdepression.With
treatment,mostwomenimprovealotandareabletodomuch
betterinallareasoftheirlives.
Loseinterestinthingssheusedtoenjoy
Sleepalotmoreoralotlessthanusual
Eatmoreorlessthanusual
Withdrawfromfamily,friendsandcontactwithother
people
Cryfornoapparentreason
Berestless,orhavelittleenergy
Findithardtoconcentrateormakedecisions
Haveheadachesorupsetstomachorotherphysical
symptoms
Havethoughtsthatsheisaterriblemother
Havefrighteningthoughtsthatkeepcomingbackabout
harmingherselforherbaby
Onlyadoctorcandiagnosedepression.Awomanmaybe
diagnosedwithpostpartumdepressionifthesymptoms:
lastformorethantwoweeks
areveryupsettingtothewoman
makeitdifficulttocarryoutherdailyactivitiesandcarefor
herbaby
IfIamdepressed,whydoIfeelsoanxious?
ManywomenwhoexperiencePPDwillalsoexperienceanxiety.
Somesymptomsofanxietyarearacingheart,feelingonedge,
toomuchorunrealisticworry,andupsettingthoughtsor
imagesofharmtothebaby.Othertimeswomenwillexperience
symptomsofanxietywithoutbeingdepressed.
Itsimportanttotellyourhealthcareproviderallofthe
symptomsyouareexperiencing.Thatwayyoucanbothdiscuss
allofthesupportandtreatmentsthatareavailabletoyou.
UpdatedAugust2011
 PostpartumPsychosis
Inextremelyrarecases,womenwilldeveloppsychosisafterthe
deliveryoftheirbaby.Somesymptomsofpsychosisare:
feelingextremelyconfusedandhopeless
notabletosleep
distrustofotherpeople
seeingthingsorhearingthingsthatarenotthere
thoughtsofharmingyourself,yourbabyorothers
Womenwithahistoryofbipolardisorderorothermental
illnesses,likeschizophrenia,maybeathigherriskof
developingpostpartumpsychosis.Ifthishappens,contacta
healthcareprofessionalimmediately.
WhyMe?
Somewomenhaveahigherriskofdevelopingpostpartum
depression.Themostcommonreasonsarewhenawoman:
hasexperienceddepressionoranxietyinthepast
hasafamilymember(s)whohashaddepressionoranxiety
tookmedicationfordepressionoranxietyandstoppedbe
foreorduringpregnancy
hastoolittlesupportfromfriends,familyandcommunity
Myths&Facts
Myth:YoucanjustsnapoutofPPD.
Fact:PPDisahealthissue.Ifyouhavemoderatetosevere
PPDyouneedtoreceivehealthcare.
Myth:PPDaffectsme,butnotmybaby.
Fact:Whenamomisdepressed,shecanhaveahardtime
interactingandbondingwithherbaby.Thiscanaffectthe
babysdevelopment.Thebestwaytomakesureyourbaby
hasahealthystartistogethelpforyourself.
Myth:Onlyweak,lazyorbadmomsgetPPD.
Fact:Allkindsofwomenfromallwalksoflifecan
experiencePPD.Youmayfeeltiredorwithdrawnandnot
realizeyouaredepressedbecauseyouaresobusycaring
foryournewborn.PPDisanillness;itisnotaboutthekind
ofpersonyouareoryourmotheringskills.
Istherehelp?
Yes!OftenthebestwaytotreatPPDistocombineanumberof
differenttreatmentslikecounseling,medication,support
groupsandselfcare.Counselingincludeseducationaboutyour
illness,supportandhelpwithdevelopingwaystocope.
Ifyourdepressionissevereorcounselingdoesnotdecreasethe
symptoms,adoctormayprescribemedication.Thedecisionon
whethertotakemedicationshouldbebasedonathoughtful
discussionofrisksandbenefitswithyourhealthcareprovider.
YoumayfindithelpfultofillouttheEdinburghPostnatal
DepressionScaleandshowittoyourdoctorormidwife.This
simpletoolwillhelpyoufigureoutifyouarestrugglingwith
depression.Youmayalsowantsomeoneyoutrusttogowith
youtoappointmentsforsupport.
ManywomenwhoareexperiencingPPDknowthereissomething
wrongbutdontgoforhelpbecausetheyareembarrassedor
afraidtotalkaboutit.PPDisamedicalconditionitsOKtoask
aboutit!
Partner&FamilySupport
Familiesandpartnerscanlistentoyourconcerns,helpyou
makedecisionsandcomfortyou.Youmayneedtosharethe
responsibilitiesoflookingafterotherchildrenanddaily
houseworklikecookingorcleaning.
SelfCare
Selfcareisawaytomakesomepositivechangesinyourlife
thatwillhelptolessenyourdepression.Aneasywayto
rememberthebasicstepsinselfcareistothinkoftheword
NESTS.Eachletterstandsforoneareaofselfcare:
NutritionTrytoeatnutritiousfoodsthroughouttheday.
ExerciseGetregularexercisetoreducestressandfeel
better.Evenalittlephysicalactivitycanhelp!
Sleep&RestSleepisveryimportantforbothyour
physicalandmentalhealth.Itisworththeefforttowork
ongettingagoodnightssleep.
TimeforYourselfTakesometimetocareforyourself
eachday,evenifitisjustforafewminutes.
SupportAllnewmomsneedsupportfromothers.Dont
beafraidtoaskforhelpandinformation!Thisincludes
practicalsupportlikechildcare,emotionalsupportlike
someonewhocanremindyouofyourstrengthsand
informationalsupportsuchasfindingoutaboutresources
inyourcommunity.
WhoshouldItalkto?
Ifyounoticetheabovesymptomsinyourself,yourpartner
orafamilymember,pleasecontactyour:
familydoctor,obstetricianorpsychiatrist
midwife
publichealthnurse
aregisteredpsychologist18007300522
aregisteredclinicalcounselor18009096303
PacificPostpartumSupportSociety(providestelephone
support)6042557999orwww.postpartum.org
Resources
BCReproductiveMentalHealthProgram.Visit
www.bcmhas.ca(Programs&ServicesReproductive
MentalHealth).Thissitehasarangeofinformationon
womensmentalhealthduringpregnancyandthe
postpartumperiod.Youwillfindfactsheets,worksheets,
theEdinburghPostnatalDepressionScale,andother
resources.
BCPartnersforMentalHealth&Addictions
Information.Visitwww.heretohelp.bc.ca
YourLocalCrisisLine.Thesephonelinesarentonlyfor
peopleincrisis.Youcancallforinformationonorifyou
justneedsomeonetotalkto.Ifyouareindistress,call
310678924hoursaday.Donotadd604,778or250
beforethenumber.
1800SUICIDE.Ifyou'rethinkingaboutsuicide,call
1800SUICIDE(18007842433)togethelprightaway,
anytimeofdayornight.Itsafreecall.
HealthLinkBC.Call811orvisitwww.healthlinkbc.cafor
free,nonemergencyhealthinformationforanyoneinyour
family,includingmentalhealthinformation.Through811,
youcanspeakwithanurse,apharmacistoradietitian.
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