Postpartum Depression

Postpartum Depression

If you've never had a baby, you need to understand that the "after baby blues" are more real than you can imagine. Over time, those who have never suffered from postpartum depression have been happy to believe that those feelings are "imagined" or "all in one's head" or that the person is "pretending." This is not the case. It is very real, and it can be very dangerous.

At the same time, postpartum depression is perfectly normal. Just as the hormones change when one is about to menstruate, when they go through menopause, or when they first become pregnant, the hormones change again when a baby is born. In fact, the brain is literally flooded with hormones as soon as the baby is born.

People assume that women cry as soon as a baby is born because they are happy. The truth is that it doesn't matter whether they are happy, sad, or otherwise -- those tears are going to come, because they are suddenly being overloaded with hormones.

However, typically, the moment a baby is born is not when the postpartum depression sets in. That happens, in most cases, three to five days after the birth of a baby, and it can last for a few days, several weeks, or even several months. The typical length of time however is about two weeks before the depression goes away.

In most cases, treatment is not necessary for postpartum depression. In most cases, the woman is already under the care of a physician, and her physician will be on the lookout for signs of extreme postpartum depression. Typically, treatment for depression is not required unless the depression lasts for more than two weeks, or it is extreme.

The usual signs of postpartum depression include unexpected crying, trouble sleeping, and feeling irritable. In most cases, a woman is not a danger to her baby during this time. In most cases, the postpartum blues simply go away, and only turn into more serious depression if there was already depression or stress before the birth of the baby.