By Timothy Robinson

The moment that you have waited for has finally arrived: the day you bring your newborn baby home from the hospital. Like all other expectant parents you will have spent the last nine months preparing for this day. You will have a baby room full of everything a newborn could possibly want. You will have read book after book on a wide magnitude of baby topics from what to name your baby to when you can expect those first words. You will have walked and paced the length of baby’s room, imagining your little bundle sleeping peacefully in her crib. Now the moment has arrived. In the crib lies your sleeping baby and the most exciting adventure of life is about to begin.

The first few days home from the hospital are just as important to you as they are to your baby. As new parents you will have gone through an exciting birth that will have left you breathless and exhilarated.

During your first days at home it may be wise to limit the amount of visitors that you welcome into your home. You need time to recuperate and settle into the routine that a sleeping, feeding, and often crying baby brings into your life.

As a new mother you will need to pay particular attention to the way that you are feeling so that those “baby blues” don’t creep up and surprise you unexpectedly. It is normal to feel a bit out of sorts and sad for the first couple of weeks after giving birth. Your body is going through some major physical changes after the birth of your baby. Your hormones will be changing and you likely will be feeling a lack of sleep. You should be patient with yourself, understand that all these feelings are normal, and that in a couple of weeks things will feel better for you.

If you find that you are feeling more and more depressed, and find it difficult to care for yourself and your family, you should consult your doctor so that he/she can determine if you are suffering from a condition called postpartum depression. While not serious, postpartum depression can leave a new mother despondent, tired, and subject to emotional swings and loss of appetite. The effects of giving birth, hormone changes and the lifestyle changes of having a newborn (not sleeping, being indoors a lot, responsibilities of caring for a baby) can lead to a bout of the baby blues. Baby blues are usually short lived and go away without treatment.

During the first few days at home your family will be adjusting to the additional member of your family. If you have other children at home you may be dealing with feelings of jealousy as the new baby takes center stage. Make sure that you include your other children in the day-to-day activities that are part of the new baby’s routine. Let older children help with diaper changing, feeding, and just sitting and holding the new baby if they are old enough to do so.

This is your time to adjust to the changes in your life and settle into a comfortable routine…at least for the moment!

About the Author
Tim Robinson’s report, Baby’s First Year: What Every New Parent Needs To Know will make sure you have everything you need to know to provide for your child. Just visit for a sneak peak at what the guide will share with you.

Unlike the baby blues, postpartum depression is a severe form of depression that affects 10-20% of new mothers and at times new fathers after the birth of their baby. It may not easily pass, and in some cases medical intervention may be necessary. It can normally be diagnosed as early as one month postpartum, after the baby blues should have faded. A woman’s doctor or midwife can prescribe medications if needed.

Causes of PPD
Not all causes of postpartum depression have been identified but there are some ideas and known facts in the medically community. Postpartum depression might be caused by the following things:

• Anti-natal depression
• Low self esteem
• Childcare stress
• Prenatal anxiety
• Life stress
• Low social support
• Poor marital relationship
• History of previous depression
• Infant temperament problems/colic
• Maternity blues
• Single parent
• Low socioeconomic status
• Unplanned/unwanted pregnancy

There are other factors that may cause women to have postpartum depression. In many ways it is one of those situations where it is different for every woman.

Symptoms of PPD
Like the causes, the symptoms of postpartum depression vary widely. Some include:

• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Insomnia
• Feelings of guilt
• Difficulty concentrating
• Persistent weepiness or sadness

These are similar to the symptoms of the baby blues, however they are much more intense when connected to postpartum depression. If a woman feels these symptoms strongly after her baby is born she should visit her doctor to see if he can help.

Postpartum Psychosis
Extra severe cases of postpartum depression can be referred to as postpartum psychosis. Postpartum psychosis is very rare occurring in just 0.1-0.2% of women who have recently had a baby. Postpartum psychosis includes all of the severe symptoms of postpartum depression, but it can also often include the mother having hallucinations and delusions.

Treatment
The good news is that there is treatment available for postpartum depression and even postpartum psychosis. There are medicine’s that can be prescribed, including medicine that is safe for breastfeeding women to use. Your doctor might also recommend counseling. If postpartum psychosis is diagnosed within the first couple of days it is often possible to reverse the effects within a few weeks with medicine vs. it taking several months to cure, even with medication, if not diagnosed right away.

If you think you may be suffering from postpartum depression it is important to remember that you are not alone and that there is help out there. Be sure to make an appointment with your doctor to get help.

Unfortunately we are not talking about the blue of your baby’s eyes. We are referring to the mild form of sadness a mother may experience after she delivers her baby.

Also known as maternity blues or maternity baby blues, baby blues are very common and occur in as many as 75-80% of new mothers. It is not postpartum depression unless it is abnormally severe.

What Causes Baby Blues?
When the placenta is delivered after the baby is born the part of the body creating the hormones shuts down abruptly. This causes a woman to react as if she is going through withdrawals from the high levels of estrogen, progesterone and endorphins that she had during her pregnancy.

In addition to the changes in hormones there is the exhaustion that sets in, whether it is physical, mental, or emotional after the baby is born, as well as sleep depravation you probably feel that can contribute to the baby blues.

Symptoms of Baby Blues
Symptoms may include some of these:

• Weepiness and bursting into tears.
• Sudden mood swings.
• Anxious and hypersensitive to criticism.
• Low spirits and irritability.
• Poor concentration and indecisiveness.
• Feeling ‘unbonded’ with baby.
• Restless insomnia.

Baby Pinks
Another, less referred to and less known feeling a person may have after giving birth is call the baby pinks. This is referred to when a person is overly happy and exuberant. This can be a sign of impending postpartum depression or psychosis.

If you have recently had a baby and you feel a bit of sadness, call your doctor to talk to him about it. He can help you judge and decide if you are experiencing a simple form of the baby blues, or if there is something more serious going on.