Many people confuse the baby blues with postpartum depression, or think that postpartum depression is the only psychiatric condition related to the postpartum period. The baby blues occur in up to 80 percent of women and are characterized by weepiness, anxiety, difficulty focusing, and mood swings. You may find yourself switching from crying to laughing in a heartbeat or feel especially vulnerable or worried about the baby. The baby blues aren't considered a disorder. They're caused by the emotional highs and lows that go along with the experience of birth, sleep deprivation, stress, and the normal hormonal shifts of the postpartum period. If you've been suffering from the baby blues, your symptoms are likely to be less severe than full-blown depression, and they'll go away without treatment. Beyond the baby blues, there are five distinct postpartum mood disorders.