Postpartum depression (PPD) is a medical condition unique to mothers directly after having a baby. While being overwhelmed, anxious or stressed after having a baby is normal, PPD is characterized by extreme sadness, anxiety or irritability right after birth. The condition could take anywhere from a couple weeks to several months to subside. It is relatively uncommon, with around 14% of new mothers being diagnosed with the condition. Treatment for PPD includes psychotherapy and antidepressant medication.
There are other postpartum mood disorders that vary in severity and rarity. Postpartum blues, commonly referred to as “baby blues”, is a tamer version of PPD that affects 50-75% of new mothers. It is characterized by random bouts of crying, sadness, and anxiety. Postpartum blues normally last for a week or two and require little to no medical attention. In contrast, postpartum psychosis (PPP) is much rarer than PPD, affecting 1 in 1000 new mothers, and represents the opposite end of the postpartum mood disorder spectrum. Mothers with postpartum psychosis experience insomnia, confusion, intense irritability, delusions and hallucinations as a result of giving birth. The condition requires immediate medical attention as mothers with PPP can harm themselves or others around them in this vulnerable state.