Postpartum Mood

New parenthood is often a time of emotional, social and physical change. You may find yourself in new roles and relationships and notice that aspects of your life have changed considerably.

It can take time to experience feelings of affection or love for your newborn. These feelings are normal and common for many parents, whether or not they gave birth, and are part of adjusting to your new life.

Get help immediately if you are having thoughts of harming yourself, your baby or someone else. Call 911, the Distress Line (1-800-784-2433) or go to a hospital emergency room.

Baby blues, depression & anxiety

Baby blues

About 80 per cent of people feel the ‘baby blues’ within 3 to 5 days of giving birth. The exact cause of the ‘baby blues’ is unknown but is thought to result from hormonal changes that happen after birth and when your milk comes in. Lack of sleep and changes in your lifestyle may add to the intensity of the feelings.

You may:

Have rapid mood swings such as feeling happy one minute then sad
Feel helpless, worried or irritable
Cry for what seems like no reason
Have difficulty sleeping even when you have the chance

These feelings typically pass within 1-2 weeks. If these symptoms last for more than two weeks after birth, you may be experiencing postpartum depression or anxiety.

Postpartum depression

Postpartum depression can occur regardless of gender, or how your baby joined your family (birth, adoption, or surrogacy). Depression affects between 10 to 25 per cent of new parents.

Postpartum depression affects a parent’s mood, behaviour, thoughts and physical health. A parent with depression may find it hard to manage day-to-day activities and may experience:

Extreme sadness, worry, or anxiety
Feelings of being overwhelmed or hopelessness
Irritability or anger
Guilt, worthlessness, or feel like a terrible parent
Loss of interest in things you used to enjoy
Withdrawal from family, friends, and contact with others
Frequent crying for no reason
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
Frightening thoughts about harming yourself or your baby

Get help if you are experiencing symptoms of postpartum depression.

In very rare cases, some parents develop postpartum psychosis (a loss of contact with reality).

Postpartum anxiety

Caring for a new baby brings some stress and worry to all parents, but these feelings typically lessen with time. If you have ongoing feelings of worry that affect your ability to cope, you may be experiencing postpartum anxiety.

You may experience postpartum anxiety in different ways:

In your body

A racing heart
A sore stomach
A tight chest
Shallow breathing
Loss of appetite
Difficulty sleeping

In your mind

‎Constant fear or worry which ‘takes over’ your thinking
Irritability
Restlessness
Tenseness or constantly feeling ‘on edge’
Thoughts that something terrible will happen

In your actions or behaviours

‎Desire to avoid activities, places or people
Being extra careful or over-controlling
Seeking constant reassurance from others

Get help if you are experiencing symptoms of postpartum anxiety.

PTSD & psychological birth trauma

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

PTSD can develop if you have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event. For some people, PTSD can develop from having or seeing a Cesarean section (dramatic surgery), experiencing a complicated labour and/or birth (experiencing or witnessing pain, effort, uncertainty), or having a sick newborn requiring extra care (possibly in a neonatal intensive care unit).

Symptoms of PTSD:

Re-living the traumatic birth experience in your mind
Avoiding stimuli related to your trauma (e.g. avoiding the hospital where you gave birth)
Experiencing negative changes in mood and cognition (e.g. you are unable to remember details of your birth)
Increasing arousal and reactivity (e.g. you experience sleep changes or are unable to concentrate)

Get help if you are experiencing symptoms of PTSD related to a traumatic birth experience or are dealing with a sick infant for more than one month.

Psychological birth trauma (P-BT)

Some people feel distress during or after birth. This feeling is called psychological birth trauma (P-BT). You may experience P-BT if your birth experience felt hard or scary for you, or if your birth experience was different from what you planned. P-BT can happen when birth feels emotionally traumatic, with or without physical trauma. P-BT is a common experience.

If you have P-BT, you may feel sad, scared, numb, or upset. You may feel guilty about what happened. You may have bad dreams about your birth experience. You may not want to talk about your birth experience.

Why do I feel this way?

‎People are more likely to have P-BT if they:

Have a difficult birth
Feel like they are not in control during their birth experience
Have a medical emergency during their birth experience
Do not get the support they expected
Have a baby who is sick and needs extra care

What are the possible effects of P-BT?

P-BT can make it difficult to feel close to your baby. Feeling close to your baby is called bonding. It is important for babies and parents
P-BT can also make it difficult to breastfeed your baby
If you have P-BT, you are more likely to have other mood problems, like postpartum anxiety and postpartum depression. You may also experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is when bad memories return and upset you

How can I get help?

P-BT can make it difficult to function after birth. If you or a loved one is struggling after a birth, it is important to get help.

If you have P-BT, you are not alone. The first step is to acknowledge that your birth experience upset you. It can help to talk about your experience and emotions with a doctor, psychologist or counsellor. They may suggest different ways to cope, like doing relaxing activities, or talking about your birth experience in a safe and supportive way. You may also want to join a support group where you can talk to others with similar experiences.

Getting help is the best thing you can do for yourself and your family.

PB-T is a common experience, and we know how to help. Reach out to a doctor or counsellor, or find out more through our phone online resources.

Reproductive Mental Health
Pacific Post Partum Support Society
Postpartum Support International
Postpartum Care (mental health info and resources)

This info is also available as a downloadable PDF: Understanding P-BT.

Getting the help you need

You may recognize when you are feeling badly (e.g. sad, depressed, anxious) but feel embarrassed or afraid to talk about it. But postpartum mood changes may be a sign of a medical condition that needs treatment. Talk to your doctor, midwife or community health nurse about your concerns.

Things you can do to help yourself

Remembering the term NESTS can help you recall the basic steps of self-care to reduce stress and make you feel better:

Nutrition – try to eat nutritious food when you can
Exercise – try to get some activity every day, like going for a walk
Sleep and rest – try to get as much sleep as possible and rest when you can
Time for yourself – try to take a few moments each day to care for yourself
Support – ask for help; all new parents need support from others

Reach out to your partner or family/friends. They can listen, comfort you and help you find support. You may need psychotherapy, either individual or group, or medication to fully treat your symptoms of postpartum depression or anxiety. You may need to share the responsibility for cooking, cleaning or caring for your baby while you are getting help.

BC Reproductive Mental Health Program

BC Reproductive Mental Health Program offers information, services and resources to women across BC, their partners and families and the professionals who work with them who are dealing with mental health challenges). Ask your care provider to refer you to the program (PDF). Note: There is a waitlist.

Get help immediately if you are having thoughts of harming yourself, your baby or someone else. Call 911, or 988, or& go to a hospital emergency room.

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Provincial Health Services Authority