Guilt or sadness, dispassionate, indecisive , sleep patterns, changes in life,  self-harming, anti-social, excessive crying, negativity, irritated mood and anxiety are some of the postpartum depression symptoms every mom should know.

What is Postpartum Depression?

Postpartum depression is a very common depression in mothers that occurs after childbirth. Dealing life as a mother is difficult in the beginning for every new mom. Staying out of focus on work, being stressful, etc is common. But this is often confused with depression or the hard responsibilities that come with having a baby. Postpartum depression is very common that 1 out of 7 moms with newborns get diagnosed with it which equals to up to 10% of all moms with newborns. [1]

So, watch out for these symptoms of Postpartum depression and seek treatment right away to feel like yourself again.

11 Postpartum Depression Symptoms

Guilt or Sadness

This can be one of the first symptoms of Postpartum depression. Feeling low once in a while is usual. But, if sadness and guilt are only and everything which consumes your thoughts, then that’s atypical. If you feel unhappy or miserable of being a parent that you let yourself down thinking a lot about it, then you must get some help.

Dispassionate

If you have a favorite show you watch or a favorite hobby you love doing and all of a sudden you are no more interested to do them is a symptom of Postpartum depression. Mood swings are okay to go, but sustained mood swings that hold you back from what you love and cease you from doing the things that you are passionate about should be taken seriously. You have to talk to the doctor about these Mood swings and rapid changes.

Indecisive

Sometimes, we don’t think coherent when we are too exhausted or worn out. But if making even the simplest of decisions takes a lot of thinking, then it isn’t the same. If petty important things also make you indecisive like taking a shower, talking your baby for a walk or even whether or not to get up and get off the bed, then these are the signs of Postpartum Depression.

Sleep patterns

Well, obviously the sleep pattern will change because you have a baby! But if you are either sleeping all the time or you aren’t even able to sleep when your baby is on their naptime, then this is surely not a new sleep pattern. It’s something else which you must mention to your doctor about.

Changes in Life

Just like all other signs, changes in life happen to every new mom. They can be hard and difficult at the beginning, but they shouldn’t turn out to be too stressful in life. There might have been misunderstandings or fights happening very frequently between you and your partner, or any other stressful changes. All these nerve-racking circumstances will aggravate your sorrow and may also lead to Postpartum depression.

 Self-harming

Self-harming or harming your baby is not considered normal at any level, in addition to thoughts of suicide. If you are having any thoughts like these, you must get help right away without delaying it. This issue must be taken very seriously as it is very dangerous for the stability of the family. This symptom is the most advanced sign of Postpartum Depression. It can also lead to Postpartum psychosis which is rare and also a serious mental illness.

Anti-social

Having a baby doesn’t mean that you might have to withdraw from your family and friends. Of course, having a baby and taking care of things consumes a lot of time. But, this shouldn’t stop from maintaining a social life. However, if being anti-social and staying away from people is the case with you, this is also a Postpartum depression’s symptom.

Excessive Crying

If you’re confused and scared all the time and if you panic more often than it is considered normal which only leads to making yourself cry every day, then this is absolutely not healthy for both you and the baby. You need to consider this and get help before it turns out worse.

Negativity

Not feeling bonded to the baby is not a thought that a mother can have. It will be hard to understand parenting in the beginning, but this thought shouldn’t be the way you think in every step that you take with your kid.  Every mother wants to be a good parent. The way you think must be positive, but not negative. But if you feel guilty thinking that you should be handling this new motherhood better than how you do or if you think that your baby deserves better than this, then these are very negative thoughts which you shouldn’t be having. This is one of the main symptoms which leads to Postpartum depression.

Irritated Mood

Stress leads to irritation and frustration. This goes on for a short while. Being irritated all the time and being mad at your partner are all the side effects of stress during motherhood. But it should not be mistaken with being angry all the time which is out of control and resentment towards your baby, because these actions are undesirable and critical symptoms of Postpartum depression.

Anxiety

Sometimes, new moms get overly used to the routine that it’s impossible to do nothing and just rest or sit down for a while. You might feel like doing something at all times like checking on your baby, cleaning baby bottles or clothes and you get worried too. This turns out to be the symptom of Postpartum depression if you are not just worried, but really worried almost all the time. Disturbing thoughts about questioning everything that’s happening is scary. This is a serious anxiety issue tied up with depression.

Being a mother to a child is already a challenging job with new responsibilities. Most of the time, these mothers may not even know if they’re depressed as it is often confused with the baby and motherhood responsibilities. Developing this Postpartum depression creates a greater risk of getting diagnosed with major depression in the future. So, if you face any of these symptoms out of the line of normal, then get help right away. It’s always better to be sure before it’s high time. Happy Parenting!