Is it Baby Blues or Something More?
Having a baby comes with a lot of powerful emotions, from joy and excitement to fear and anxiety. It is common and expected for moms to experience postpartum baby blues after delivery, which include feelings of exhaustion, overwhelm, and mood swings. The good news is that most of these “baby blues” symptoms subside within 1-2 weeks. However, if they persist longer or intensify, it could be postpartum depression.
Postpartum depression is a more severe state of feeling lost, hopeless, angry, ambivalent, or anxious.
Signs of postpartum depression include:
Feeling sad most of the day
Crying a lot
Eating too much or too little
Sleeping too much or too little
Withdrawing from family and friends
Feeling disconnected from your baby
Difficulty completing everyday tasks, including caring for your baby
Feelings of guilt
Fear of being a bad mother
Excessive fear of hurting yourself or your baby
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, do not wait for your postpartum checkup to seek help. Please call the office; this is not something to feel embarrassed or ashamed about. Our providers can offer screening tools, resources, referrals to professionals like therapists, and even prescribe medication.
Additionally, here are two local resources:
Sentara Out of the Blues Postpartum Support Group: https://www.sentara.com/charlottesville-virginia/classesevents/support-groups/out-of-the-blues-a-postpartum-support-group.aspx
Postpartum Support International - VA Chapter, Charlottesville resources: https://postpartumva.org/directory/?cn-s=&cn-cat=28. They also have a free virtual support group for Charlottesville moms.
