Postpartum Distress Syndrome

After your baby is born, you may be surprised by some of the emotions you feel. You have waited so long for this wonderful new life and have anticipated feelings of great joy and happiness. You may be surprised if you find yourself feeling sad or unhappy. You have delivered your baby, and the anticipation and excitement are over. You may wonder if having a baby was a good idea. These feelings, called postpartum distress, are normal in up to 80% of all women after birth.

In the past, postpartum distress was called "postpartum depression," and the entire range of feelings a woman might experience was lumped together under that term. Today the general term is postpartum distress syndrome, and we distinguish between the intensity of the feelings.

Many women experience some degree of postpartum distress. Most of the time, feelings are mild; you may have heard them referred to as "baby blues." The situation is temporary and tends to leave as quickly as it comes. In unusual cases, it may last for several months and even more than a year.

Today, many experts consider some degree of postpartum distress normal. Some of the symptoms include:

• crying for no reason
• exhaustion
• irritability
• lack of confidence
• anxiety
• lack of feeling for the baby
• impatience
• low self-esteem
• oversensitivity
• restlessness

If you believe you are suffering from some of these symptoms, call your doctor. Almost all postpartum reactions are temporary and treatable.

If your baby blues don't get better in a few weeks, or if you feel extremely depressed, call your doctor. You may need medication to help deal with the problem.

Degrees of Postpartum Distress
The mildest form of postpartum distress is baby blues. This situation lasts only a couple of weeks, and symptoms do not worsen. (See the description above.) A more serious form of postpartum distress is called postpartum depression (PPD); it affects about 10% of all new mothers. The difference between baby blues and postpartum depression is in the frequency, intensity and duration of symptoms. Having problems sleeping is one way to distinguish between the two. If you can sleep while someone else tends the baby, it is probably baby blues. If you can't sleep because of anxiety, it may be PPD.

PPD can occur anytime from 2 weeks to 1 year after birth. A mother may have feelings of anger, confusion, panic and hopelessness. Her eating and sleeping patterns may change. She may be fearful she will hurt her baby or that she cannot take good care of the baby. She may think she is a bad mother or feel as if she is going crazy. Anxiety is a major symptom of PPD.

The most serious form of postpartum distress is called postpartum psychosis. In this situation, the woman may have hallucinations, think about suicide or try to harm the baby.

What Causes Postpartum Distress?
We don't know exactly what causes postpartum distress; not every woman experiences it. We believe hormonal changes are part of it. Many demands are placed on a new mother, which can cause distress. Other possible factors being considered include a family history of depression, little support after the birth, isolation and fatigue.