Baby blues

Many women experience a brief episode of mood swings, tearfulness, anxiety and difficulty in sleeping in the first week after the birth of a baby. Some 50-80% of women have such an experience. This episode, known as the baby blues, is thought to be linked with the stresses associated with late pregnancy, labour and delivery, along with the rapid hormonal changes that accompany the birth.

Symptoms generally settle during the first week after birth and require no special treatment other than adequate rest and support.  Only when symptoms are severe or do not clear spontaneously within the first two weeks is it important to seek medical assessment to find out if another condition is present.

You might like to try the self-test for depression during pregnancy and postnatally.

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