The Postpartum Experience

Most women expect to feel elated after their baby is finally born. All those months of anticipation are realized. Relatives and friends have provided hugs, warm words, and welcoming gifts. The proud parents are finally rewarded with a beautiful child. Life with the new baby is expected to be one glorious day after the next.

For many women, life with the new baby is more overwhelming than glorious. After giving birth, many women feel inadequately prepared, disappointed about missing out on career opportunities, and/or frustrated about their appearance. Additionally, such feelings can inspire guilt for feeling anything but elated. 

In some cases, women with such thoughts and feelings are experiencing what's called the "baby blues," a reaction to the overwhelming experience of parenting a newborn. For others, these symptoms persist and progress to become postpartum depression.

Unlike the baby blues, postpartum depression:
  • begins weeks or even months after the baby arrives
  • causes severe anxiety regarding mothering abilities
  • lasts more than a few weeks. 
Seeking treatment for postpartum depression is vital for the health of both mother and child. In rare cases, mothers may experience postpartum psychosis, losing touch with reality completely. Postpartum psychosis requires emergency medical treatment.

This section is divided into multiple articles covering:
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