Feeling down is a common postpartum emotion that typically passes in a few weeks. For many women, however, these feelings go beyond the basic baby blues and signal a more serious depressive or endocrine disorder.

The Baby Blues

The majority of new mothers experience what has become known as “the baby blues,” a short-lived period of mild depression that appears in up to 85 percent of postpartum women. A severe shortage of sleep, disappointment with the birth experience, fluctuating hormone levels, anxieties about your baby's health and well-being, and shaky confidence in your own parenting skills can all lead to feelings of sadness and inadequacy. Fortunately, most cases of the blues resolve themselves within a few days to 2 weeks after birth as balance returns to the new mother's life.

More Than the Blues

Postpartum depression (PPD) occurs in about 10 percent of new mothers, and can drag on for up to a year. Check off any of the following symptoms if you are experiencing them and talk to your doctor about PPD:

__ Feelings of extreme sadness and inexplicable crying jags

Lack of pleasure in things you would normally enjoy

__ Trouble concentrating

__ Excessive worrying about the baby, or conversely, a lack of interest in the baby

__ Feelings of low self-esteem

__ Decreased appetite

__ Feelings of resentment

__ Feelings of isolation

Fortunately, PPD can be effectively treated with counseling and/or antidepressant drugs, so ask your doctor for a referral to a mental health professional.