Postpartum Depression vs. The “Baby Blues”

Fresno Counselor Helping Mothers Struggling with Postpartum Despression

New moms often wonder what is the difference between baby blues and postpartum depression. The majority of new moms experience a roller coaster of emotions during the first few weeks after giving birth. These emotions can include but are not limited to sadness, anxious thoughts/nervousness, hypersensitivity, irritation, elation, stress, exhaustion, and fear. Theses fluctuations in mood, appetite, sleep patterns are “normal” during the first few weeks after giving birth. The symptoms of postpartum can be difficult to identify because of the shift in hormones. The “baby blues” can turn in to postpartum depression if the symptoms become more severe affecting the mother’s ability to handle daily life stressors, or the symptoms last longer than 2-3 weeks.

Other symptoms of postpartum depression can include:

• Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep

• Anxious thoughts

• Feeling hopeless

• Fatigue

• Difficulty with decision making

• Difficulty caring for yourself or your baby

• Hostile feelings and/or wanting to harm yourself, others, or the baby.

If you are struggling with these feelings you are not alone and there is help. Your first step is to contact your medical doctor. Often times medication or checking hormone levels can help alleviate these feelings. Counseling can also be very usefully when struggling with these feelings. Counseling can help moms identify their negative thoughts and feelings. Counseling can also help new moms to learn coping skills to handle the demands of new motherhood and help them develop a support system if needed. If you are in the Fresno/Clovis area and are considering seeking counseling for any of the symptoms listed above feel free to contact me

at (559) 460-0715 or via email at jodimitchellmft@gmail.com