Brain Fitness for Women. Sondra Kornblatt

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      When the baby blues don't abate within a month after childbirth and/or the symptoms seem to get worse, it's likely you have postpartum depression (PPD), which affects between 8 and 20% of women after pregnancy. Postpartum depression is a serious condition that can interfere with moms, the mom-baby relationship, and the family.

      Postpartum depression can start soon after delivery or up to a year later, though it often occurs within the first four weeks after delivery. How long it lasts is different for every woman. Some women feel better in a few weeks; others may feel depressed for months or even a year or longer.

      Symptoms are more pronounced than those of the baby blues and may include crying; irritability; insomnia; extreme fatigue; eating problems; persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or helplessness; memory loss; and an inability or lack of desire to take care of yourself and/or your baby. Sometimes women suffering from PPD experience panic, mania, or even hallucinations or obsessive-compulsive thoughts or behaviors. In extreme cases, PPD can put the mom and baby's lives at risk.

      Women who have a history of depression or anxiety have a higher chance of developing postpartum depression. So do those who abuse alcohol or other substances, smoke, experience a stressful pregnancy or stressful circumstance during pregnancy, are teens, had poor support or trauma in childhood, and/or get little support as a mother. These life experiences, say Sichel and Watson Driscoll in Women's Moods, Women's Minds, can set the stage for an emotional earthquake such as PPD or during other stressful hormonal events.⁹⁸

      If your baby blues don't improve, get worse, or simply interfere with daily life or cause concern, get support from your life partner and friends, and talk to a medical practitioner to sort out whether or not PPD may be making this time difficult.