Psychology
Postnatal depression: more than the baby blues
Baby blues pass within two weeks. Postnatal depression lasts longer, is common in Pakistan, and gets better with treatment. Postpartum psychosis is an emergency.
27 Sept 20268 min read
Baby blues
Also known as Maternity blues, Postpartum blues
Brief tearfulness, mood swings and anxiety in the first days after giving birth. It is very common, normal, and settles within about two weeks.
In Psychology
The baby blues are a normal reaction to birth, hormones and lack of sleep. A new mother may feel weepy, irritable or overwhelmed a few days after delivery, and it usually passes within two weeks without treatment. Rest, food, and practical help from family make a real difference.
If low mood lasts longer than two weeks, gets worse, or stops you coping, it may be , which needs a doctor. Read more in postnatal depression.
Where this comes up
Related terms
- Postnatal depressionPostpartum depression, PPDDepression that begins during pregnancy or in the year after having a baby. It is common, it is not a sign of being a bad mother, and it is treatable.
- PsychosisPsychotic episode, Psychotic symptomsA state in which a person loses some contact with reality — hearing or seeing things others do not, or firmly believing things that are not true. It is a symptom with many causes, and it is treatable.
- DepressionClinical depression, Major depressive disorderA medical condition in which low mood or loss of interest lasts most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks, and affects sleep, energy and daily life.