Having a little one is stressful. It doesn't matter how prepared you were, how much you looked forward to holding your baby in your arms, or how much you love her now that she's here. There's so much that comes with having a newborn, from sleepless nights to adding a ton of new responsibilities and lacking the time to take care of yourself.

It's no wonder new moms can be seen crying one minute and laughing the next. It's one hell of an emotional rollercoaster, and even though you'll eventually get the hang of it, it's completely normal to feel overwhelmed or anxious your first few months postpartum. But how can you tell whether you have postpartum depression or just a case of baby blues? This article looks at postpartum depression and baby blues to help you differentiate them.

Is It Postpartum Depression Or Baby Blues?

Do I have postpartum depression or baby blues?
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You're not the only mom that has to deal with the emotional ups and downs of handling a newborn. According to WebMD, up to 80% of new moms experience what we call the "baby blues." They are short term drops in mood as a result of all the changes that are brought about by having a baby. They're common especially 2 to 3 days after having a baby, but you'll most likely feel better by the time your baby is 7 to 14 days old.

Janet Weatherly, a licensed nurse-midwife working at the Henry Ford Health System tells Henry Ford that in the first weeks after delivery, the estrogen, as well as hormone change moms experience, are among the factors that affect the start of the symptoms of postpartum baby blues.

Typical symptoms of the blues include anxiety, crying, and feeling overwhelmed or restless. New moms often feel this way because of the additional responsibility and stress brought about by a newborn. So, if you're feeling this way postpartum, there's nothing to worry about, it's normal.

Signs You Have The "Baby Blues"

  • You quickly go from being happy to being sad. One minute you're crying, the next you're laughing. You go from being proud of yourself for being a bad-ass mom, to crying because you feel that you're not doing enough.
  • You barely want to eat or take care of yourself because you are tired.
  • You feel anxious, overwhelmed, and irritable.

When It's Postpartum Depression

There is a significant difference between postpartum depression and baby blues. However, both share a lot of symptoms including crying sprees, mood swings, feelings of sadness, irritability, and insomnia. The difference is that with PPD, you'll experience severe symptoms including suicidal thoughts or being unable to take care of your newborn. Also, according to Weatherly, the differentiating factor between the two is usually the timeframe in which you experience the symptoms. Baby blues die down after a couple of weeks, whereas postpartum depression can last up until 12 months or even longer. For a mom caring for a new baby and other potentially older kids, in addition to handling her usual responsibilities, feeling depressed is particularly problematic.

According to Henry Ford, 10-15% of moms experience PPD in the six months following delivery with the risk factors often mimicking those of major depression. According to WebMD, when you're depressed:

  • You feel worthless, alone, sad, hopeless, and cry a lot.
  • You're convinced that you're doing a bad job as a new mother.
  • You're barely bonding with your baby or are disengaging from your partner.
  • You might feel overwhelmingly anxious or hopeless that you're barely able to sleep or take care of yourself, and might even start to feel suicidal.
  • You could experience panic and anxiety attacks.

The Causes And Risk Factors Of Postpartum Depression

There isn't one reason why new moms experience PPD, and others do not. Still, a couple of interlinked risk factors and causes are believed to contribute to depression.

  1. Changes in hormones- According to Helpguide.org, after giving birth, moms experience a huge decline in progesterone and estrogen hormone levels, as well as thyroid levels, leading to fatigue and depression. You'll experience rapid changes in hormones, along with changes in blood pressure, metabolism, and how the immune system works, triggering PPD.
  2. Physical changes- Bring a mom brings a lot of emotional and physical changes. You might have a hard time losing the baby weight or experiencing physical pain from delivery. This can leave you feeling insecure about yourself physically and sexually.
  3. Stress- Juggling a newborn is no walk in the park. The stress can take a toll on you, especially the adjustments, since you're anxious and overwhelmed about how good you are at properly caring for a newborn. This is particularly harder for first-time moms who have to get used to their new identity.
  4. A history of PPD- If you've had postpartum depression before, there's a high likelihood that you'll experience it again.

Treating The Baby Blues

You'll feel better if you rest as much as you can, take in foods good for you, take walks, relax as often as you can, and take help when it's offered. Essentially, learning how to prioritize yourself will treat baby blues. We need to accept help and let others in to do so.

Treating Postpartum Depression

Difference between postpartum depression and baby blues
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According to Helpguide.org, you can use the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale as a screening tool to tell whether you have PPD. A score bigger than 13, suggest that you get a better and thorough assessment because you likely have PPD. It is important that you get help fast. Reach out to your doctor immediately. There are also a lot of resources as well as support groups for moms that have PPD. You can reach out to National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, or Postpartum Support International for help or to get information on support groups near you.

NEXT: Avoiding Mommy Blues: How Weaning And Breastfeeding Affect Your Moods

Sources: WebMD, Helpguide.org, Henry Ford