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How do I know if I have postpartum depression?

101 Answers
Last Updated: 05/05/2022 at 10:38pm
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Top Rated Answers
Anonymous
February 8th, 2018 12:27pm
I guess the only way to know that is by going to a doctor or therapist who is medically trained and has the credentials to properly diagnose it.
BeccaSunflower89
March 1st, 2018 5:51pm
Speaking from personal experience, I was very tearful. Fearful for my baby. Anxious and angry. Constantly feeling that I was an awful mother.
Anonymous
March 29th, 2018 8:43pm
For me to recognize that in my own self is when you finally recognize that there is a problem that you are not interested with things that are going on in your personal life that even the simplest things that you enjoy the most you're just show absolutely no interest like there is no value when you no longer like and enjoy your favorite foods you go outside and everything is a blah when you used to see things beautiful and exciting when you learn to see all of that that's when you know there is a problem that needs to be taken care of. And that's when we ourselves make that next step to seek help even if it is talking to a complete stranger who is more than willing to listen to help figure things out not to solve but to help figure things out on your own
Lilhelpy
April 6th, 2018 6:37pm
Disconnect from myself after I delivered baby. Depression after having a pregnancy and having a baby, time period when you cannot conect with your child
Kallie112358
April 14th, 2018 12:31pm
the tricky answer is that most of the time you dont. If you are concerned or think it might be a possibility please seek help from a medical professional - with the right help and support this is something that can be managed
Joe4stressfree
April 21st, 2018 4:26pm
Best way would be to see your local doctor or therapist where they would be able to diagnose postpartum depression
sillyseraph002
April 27th, 2018 9:56pm
postpartum depression can be very difficult to experience. if you are concerned that you my be going through this, talk to your doctor as soon as possible.
Anonymous
May 13th, 2018 3:44am
These are some of the symptoms for post partum depression: low energy, anxiety, crying episodes, irritability, and changes in sleeping or eating patterns
Artemidesia
June 1st, 2018 8:14pm
The best way to know is to get it clinically diagnosed and not rely on the internet. Professionals are the only people who can diagnose it for you. Self-diagnosis is dangerous. Having said that, if you feel like your symptoms do match with the ones stated online, please consider getting in contact with a professional.
Anonymous
July 1st, 2018 8:05pm
When you feel like your hopeless like you just don’t want to take care of your child or want to hurt yourself or have trouble being happy at times
acaiaboo
July 4th, 2018 4:53pm
I imagine this is different for everyone. But some symptoms would include of course sadness/depression after the baby is born, having a hard time sleeping and/or eating, irritability, and having a difficult time bonding with the baby
dontgiveup123
July 7th, 2018 2:46am
you have to see a medical doctor to confirm that and get the necessary treatment. your mood after delivery should normally be monitored as symptoms of depression are not uncommon. please i encourage you to follow up with your physician
Glazeyglaze
July 22nd, 2018 2:00pm
Postpartum Depression happens after having a baby. Yo will know if you have this kind of depression if you feel overwhelmed on having a baby and you also feel that you dont't deserve to be a mother to your baby.
Anonymous
August 2nd, 2018 1:51am
The lack of happiness and the flat static pattern of life where you tend to never do new thing and be in an awful unrealistic mood and casting yourself aside intendedly from the society and remove the probability of having someone close and bonded to you
MissLisa
August 24th, 2018 3:09pm
It is normal for women to find themselves feeling down following the birth of a child. These feelings are often referred to as baby blues and come to pass a short time after having a baby. Perhaps opening up to those around you and telling them how you are feeling, they can keep an eye on you. If these feelings do not pass after a short time you should speak with a specialist voicing your concerns over postpartum depression. This is a common condition which most people overcome . It takes time but awareness and monitoring the situation is key.
WhatIsYourWhy
August 29th, 2018 3:03pm
I personally had severe postpartum depression for several months after my son was born I felt so depressed so panicked so alone and like I was a terrible mother but I knew it would end I spoke out to Dr I reached out to therapist I reached out to friends anyone and everyone that had any advice to give and with that strengthen that support system I made it through. I also spoke with many women who had postpartum psychosis and or postpartum depression and had to go on medication or therapy and they never were on medication and they never had been to therapy before they were completely against it but once they let go of the driver seat and became the passenger and let someone else help guide them with the information they provided as well as doing mindful exercises DBT CVT and just meditation or being in the moment everything seemed to fall right in place over time
Anonymous
August 29th, 2018 7:09pm
First of all, I would read up on symptoms to see if I relate to it. Then, I would definitely talk to a professional on the matter as self-diagnosing can be dangerous. I would talk to a person such as school nurse, or a psychologist. On background from what I'd read, I'd describe the symptoms and see what they think. Although it takes time finding out what it can be. A psychologist can diagnose you after a while, considering it doesn't take a day to find that out. I wish you good luck and hope the best results for you.
Ebonee
January 26th, 2019 7:03pm
There are many signs to postpartum depression (PPD) that differ for each woman. Irritability, sadness, lack of desire to want to connect with the newborn, anger, feelings of numbness, a disconnect from activities that were previously enjoyed, are all some of the well known characteristics. PPD can set in right after birth or months later. For some women it might happen after the baby is 6 - 12 months old. Make sure to connect with your OBGYN or family doctor to talk about your symptoms. Counseling also helps some women. For other women, medicine is necessary to balance the hormones.
Anonymous
March 22nd, 2019 7:37pm
Postpartum depression signs and symptoms may include : Depressed mood or severe mood swings Excessive crying. Difficulty bonding with your baby . Withdrawing from family and friends . Loss of appetite or eating much more than usual Inability to sleep (insomnia) or sleeping too much Overwhelming fatigue or loss of energy Reduced interest and pleasure in activities you used to enjoy Intense irritability and anger Fear that you're not a good mother Hopelessness Feelings of worthlessness, shame, guilt or inadequacy Diminished ability to think clearly, concentrate or make decisions Restlessness Severe anxiety and panic attacks. Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby. Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.
insightfulRose22
June 2nd, 2019 12:02am
Postpartum depression shows in many forms. It could be feeling constantly in a low mood, difficulty emotionally bonding with your baby, losing interest in pretty much everything around you, constantly feeling tired even when you have had a good amount of rest. Your appetite can change (either not wanting to eat at all, or the opposite, wanting to eat all the time). If you feel you have postpartum depression, your best bet is to speak to a medical professional who can help you understand it better and provide you adequate support/treatment for it. And always remember, there is no shame in having it, it is OK to not be OK, reach out for help when you need it ❤️
Jill7Cups
June 27th, 2019 3:42pm
The best way to know for sure is by talking to your doctor, but if you feel really low and disconnected that is often a sign. If you are having a hard time with the day to day and aren't interested in your usual activities and hobbies or if you don't feel bonded to your baby you should reach out to someone. Even just talking to a trusted friend can help you decide if you need to seek professional help. Being a new mom is hard, don't be afraid to ask for help. Your body and lifestyle go through significant changes, including hormonal highs and lows. We often need assistance from our doctor to get feeling whole again. Hugs.
15Kenzi
June 30th, 2019 7:27am
You feel alone. Really alone. I didn’t want to tell anyone what I was feeling as I was afraid to even admit aloud what I was thinking. I wanted to die. I was scared that someone would tell me that I would have to stop nursing my baby and it was the only thing that was keeping me alive. If I would have been told that, I am fairly confident I would not be alive today. I am a fairly bright person. Life has had many trials, but nothing was as bad as that prenatal and postpartum depression that I went through. It took all of life trials and magnified them twenty times. I wish that someone would have told me that I could get medication and still breastfeed. I wish someone would have directed me to a postpartum depression support group. I wish I would have known where to look for one. I ended up finding a mom’s support group which really helped. It got me out of the house, even when I didn’t want to. I found a place for my children to go once a week, so I had a quiet evening alone. I started exercising, just even walks around the block and practicing a little more self care. Those things really helped. Most of all, I started to focus on eating a more balanced diet with essential nutrients for living and taking good supplements. Those things will not generally cure or completely help PPD, but it can help some if you are not to the point of hurting yourself or someone else. Please do not be afraid to tell your doctor or midwife how you are feeling. You can be a good mom and get help for PPD. This is not something you are to blame for.
Anonymous
April 19th, 2020 6:33pm
Having a baby from the very first time in the womb to the delivery is a most difficult challenge one can have in lifetime. A women sacrifices all her career, her figure, her time etc etc to have a baby. These sacrifice sometimes grows to depression level after having the baby out of the womb. After delivery all the time energy everything is invested for baby. If one feel like she is in confinement, that feeling can be reach into depression also...one also may regret not for having baby but having baby so early. One may have depression related to the misshaped body structure happened over the pregnancy period and after.
lindaisling1
April 29th, 2020 8:32pm
There are a list of symptoms to watch for as follows: 1. Feeling sad or empty for most or all of every day. 2. Feeling hopeless and helpless to do anything to change the situation or thing that a person is feeling hopeless about. 3. Changes in appetite (either not eating enough or eating more than is needed to stay healthy or eating a lot of unhealthy foods. 4. Unusual anger, anxiety or other moods that impact a person or those around them in a negative way. 5. Changes in sleep patterns either not being able to fall asleep, waking up more times a night than a person needs to than to meet the needs of the baby. 6. Not enjoying things that would normally give the person pleasure. 7. Feeling guilty about things that are not the person's fault. 8. Not feeling connected to the baby or other important people in the person's life. 9. Not being able to concentrate. 10. Having thoughts go around and around rather than thinking about things as a person normally would. 11. Having thoughts about wanting to leave the situation that the person finds themselves in or thinking about how dying might be the best for everyone. Usually a person will not have all of those symptoms unless they are very ill. If a person has any of the symptoms for 2 weeks or longer they should see a psychiatrist or psychologist immediately or go to the emergency room at the nearest hospital or call a suicide prevention hotline. If a person has a plan about how they would commit suicide that is an emergency and the person should call 911. It is important to tell someone trusted if you start to have any symptoms ( a partner or health professional or spiritual leader) because sometimes just talking things through will help ameliorate symptoms but if that doesn't help or the symptoms last longer than 2 weeks it is imperative to get help from professionals who have experience with mood disorders (depression, anxiety and so on) especially if the person has specific experience with postpartum depression. Rarely an emergency situation occurs called postpartum psychosis. It causes hallucinations, delusions and other psychotic symptoms. When this happens, it is a crisis and the person it happens to will not realize that it is happening because they have lost touch, partially or completely, with reality. It is important that the support people around the person know that this can happen and it is important, especially in the first few weeks after delivery that there is someone checking in every few hours with the person. It is important to note that the partner of the person can also get a form of postpartum depression due to the big change in sleep habits because of the baby's needs so it is important to keep the communication going between the people so that they can help out when needed.
Anonymous
May 4th, 2020 6:37pm
Postpartum depression is characterized by a lack of joy in your new motherhood. If you feel sad when you hear the baby cry or angry when the baby is in your presence, these are cues that your body is not adjusting well to hormones of the postpartum period. If you have trouble sleeping and a lack of motivation to care for the baby, these are also cues that you have be experiencing postpartum depression. If you can't stop crying, or if even the slightest thing makes you cry, this too can be a cue that you may be experiencing postpartum depression.
Anonymous
December 3rd, 2020 6:36pm
I don't know since I've never had it. But usually you can tell by the symptoms Usually it happens after child birth and or a drop in hormones I'm not an expert on this time of topic. But I know that you should think on the positive rather than the negative. Believe in yourself. Self care for yourself. Use your coping skills like I do. Like Listening to music, Drawing, Reading, Color and etc. It can be very hard to think positive especially with this kind of depression. I would do some grounding and some breathing excersises to help me.
Anonymous
December 11th, 2020 3:12pm
There are commonly known symptoms of postpartum depression including : - a persistent feeling of sadness and low mood. -loss of interest in the world around you and no longer enjoying things that used to give you pleasure. -feeling that you're unable to look after your baby. -trouble sleeping at night and feeling sleepy during the day. -feeling agitated, irritable or very apathetic. -loss of appetite or an increased appetite (comfort eating). -difficulty bonding with your baby with a feeling of indifference and no sense of enjoyment in their company. If you find yourself experience most of this symptoms do not worry, postpartum depression is commonly caused because after bird you experience a a dramatic drop in hormones, so it´s understandable that you might be feeling low. If the symptom continue please seek professional help since this is mostly treatable with psychotherapy and/or medication.
Silverbell27
December 16th, 2020 11:45am
Postpartum depression is a lot more powerful and lasts longer. It follows about 15 percent of births, in first-time moms and those who’ve given birth before. It can cause severe mood swings, exhaustion, and a sense of hopelessness. The intensity of those feelings can make it difficult to care for your baby or yourself. Postpartum depression shouldn’t be taken lightly. It’s a serious disorder, but it can be overcome through treatment. You feel sad or cry a lot, even when you don’t know why. You’re exhausted, but you can’t sleep. You sleep too much. You can’t stop eating, or you aren’t interested in food at all. You have various unexplained aches, pains, or illnesses. You don’t know why you’re irritable, anxious, or angry. Your moods change suddenly and without warning. You feel out of control. You have difficulty remembering things. You can’t concentrate or make simple decisions. You have no interest in things you used to enjoy. You feel disconnected from your baby and wonder why you’re not filled with joy like you thought you’d be. Everything feels overwhelming and hopeless. You feel worthless and guilty about your feelings. You feel like you can’t open up to anyone because they’ll think you’re a bad mother or take your baby, so you withdraw. You want to escape from everyone and everything. You have intrusive thoughts about harming yourself or your baby.
Anonymous
January 3rd, 2021 6:46pm
Because PPD can appear anywhere from a couple of weeks to 12 months after birth, there's no average length of time it lasts. A 2014 review of studies suggests that PPD symptoms improve over time, with many cases of depression resolving 3 to 6 months after they begin. PPD can begin as soon as you give birth, but you probably won’t realize it right away since it’s considered normal to feel sad, exhausted, and generally “out of sorts” during the first few days after baby arrives. It may not be until after the typical baby blue time frame should have passed that you realize something more serious is going on.
Anonymous
March 3rd, 2021 6:30pm
Postpartum depression is a clinical diagnosis. Therefore, if you feel you may have postpartum depression, it is best to be evaluated by a physician so they can determine whether you have postpartum depression and what can be done to help. Postpartum depression is common. It is something doctors discuss routinely with those who have just had a baby. While social stigma can prevent those with postpartum depression from seeking help, it is important to recognize that many changes happen in the body leading up to, during, and after childbirth. These changes can affect your mood and well-being, so having postpartum depression is in no way a reflection on you or anything you did. It is merely your body's response to hormonal and physical changes, and thus, it can be remedied.