Postpartum depression (PPD) affects as many as one in 4 North American mothers. It’s often confused with the “baby blues”—the emotional lows that come with the massive hormonal changes taking place in your body during pregnancy and post-pregnancy, leaving you fatigued, miserable, weepy, and irritable. However, with the lows of new motherhood also come highs to balance out the sleepless nights, baby weight, fear, and sore breasts.
The symptoms of postpartum depression more intense and impactful than the “baby blues”, occurring over a long period and often hindering your ability to care for your baby and yourself…
1. Negative Feelings
Postpartum depression is characterized by a host of negative feelings—such as depression, irritability, guilt, misery, self-consciousness, and hopelessness. It differs from the normal blues in post-pregnancy as it long-lasting and worsens over time with the new moms unable to focus on the joys and positivity associated with motherhood.
