Postpartum Depression

For some women, the feelings of sadness or exhaustion run deeper and last longer than baby blues. About 10% of new mothers experience postpartum depression, which is a true clinical depression triggered by childbirth.
Postpartum depression usually begins 2 to 3 weeks after giving birth, but can start any time during the first few days, weeks, or months post-delivery.

A woman with postpartum depression may feel sad, tearful, despairing, discouraged, hopeless, worthless, or alone. She also may:
have trouble concentrating or completing routine tasks
lose her appetite or not feel interested in food
feel indifferent to her baby or not feel attached or bonded
feel overwhelmed by her situation and feel that there is no hope of things getting better
feel like she is just going through the motions of her day without being able to feel happy, interested, pleased, or joyful about anything

Feelings and thoughts like these are painful for a woman to experience — especially during a time that is idealized as being full of happiness. Many women are reluctant to tell someone when they feel this way. But postpartum depression is a medical condition that requires attention and treatment.