Postpartum depression is a severe type of depression occurring during the first year after delivery in women. It is a curable disorder; it may occur within six months to a year postpartum.

Postpartum depression or postnatal depression may cause a woman to become weary, experience sleep disorders, be dejected and detached, lose self-confidence, and have low self-esteem. Slight mood changes are commonplace after delivery, but when symptoms become pronounced, help will be necessary. This depression may prove to be serious health hazard for both mother and the child.

Onset of Postpartum Depression Symptoms

New mothers sometimes experience what is known as ‘baby blues’. This phenomenon is a weak short-term depression that lasts for a few days or weeks after delivery. It is considered a normal appearance in first time mothers which generally disappears within ten days after child birth. It is estimated that about ten percent of new mothers experience postpartum depression, which is a severe of disorder that can develop within six months after delivery.

After delivery, mothers experience mood changes. They feel depressed, have trouble in focusing, lose interest in food and experience difficulties in sleep routines. These symptoms generally appear after three days and may last for many days.

Women who suffer postpartum depression may have suffered prenatal depression prior to the delivery. After deliver, changes in hormone levels in women may activate symptoms of postpartum depression. During the period of pregnancy and up to the delivery time, the female hormones like estrogen and progesterone increase their secretion greatly. Within a day after child birth, these hormone levels fall rapidly to normal levels. These rapid changes in hormones in a woman’s body activate depression.

Additional worries that confront would-be mothers also manifest after child birth. Fear of complications during delivery, anxious expectation of motherhood, stress in life, marital discord etc. factors will have effect later.

Postpartum Depression Symptoms

Onset of this disorder can be considered to have occurred when any of the following symptoms is diagnosed during and after pregnancy which last for more than two weeks:

Sense of restlessness and irritability : The patient feels agitated and becomes restless. She may become very irritable and short tempered

Feeling of sadness, hopelessness: The patient may feel gloomy and melancholic. No particular reason can be attributed to her sense of sadness. She feels dejected and desperate.

Uncontrolled sobbing and crying: This is one important characteristic among depressed women. They cry for no apparent reason. The bouts are periodic.

Lack of energy and/or motivation : Patients feel that they are exhausted and lack energy to do things. They lose basic motivation to accomplish anything.

Over-eating or eating less : Abnormalities in eating habits are normal occurrence in patients. Either they over-eat and turn obese or under-nourish themselves that eventually takes its toll on the body.

Sleep disorders : Patients display strange sleep patterns. Sometimes they do not get good sleep during nights. They may wake up early in the night and may sleep during daytime.

Stress and anxiety : Strain and tension are factors in depression. The patient is always anxious about things and situations. She may feel anxious about the baby.

Lack of parental feelings : Depressed woman may find themselves inadequate as mothers. Motherly instincts become absent.

Loss of memory : A woman in depression tends to forget things. She may not remember recent happenings. They fail to recollect situations.

Indecision and lack of concentrating : Strangely, patients find themselves unable to decide things. They can not focus on things constantly. Their lack of concentration makes them stray without any meaning and purpose.

Feelings of worthlessness and remorse : Patient may feel that she is useless and has no value. She may feel that she is a waste. She harbors guilty feelings.

Sense of apathy : She may develop disinterest in the things and people that surround her.

Detachment from family and friends : There may be total disconnect with friends and family. Sense of aloofness may prevail.

Complaints of physical pain : The patient may complain about her real pains and aches such as headaches, chest pains, heart palpitations and hyperventilation

The severity of the depression can vary from mild to severe and seems to be the general tendency after the initial pregnancy.