Childbirth is a very powerful physiological process. Naturally, it affects both the physical and psychological state of a woman. Statistically, 80% of women in labor experience “postpartum moping” or “sadness syndrome” (or “blues” syndrome) and this percentage tends to increase. Let’s look more closely at the emotional state after childbirth.

The emotional lift and euphoria that occur immediately after birth is replaced by a decline in mood, sadness, uncertainty, confusion, and emotional discomfort for most women by the 2nd or 3rd day after birth. A mother may experience an inexplicable desire to cry, depression, and even irritation. The cause of this condition after childbirth is not reliably known, but there are versions of its occurrence. First, the rapid and powerful change in hormonal background in the last weeks of pregnancy and especially after childbirth can not help but affect the mood of the woman. “Hormonal shock” is a biological factor in the emergence of an anxious state. Secondly, for women who become mothers for the first time, the new role of “mom” brings a lot of anxiety and worry. In addition, after the long months of pregnancy have been passed, and the mother-to-be is used to her condition, after childbirth there is even a feeling of losing something important and dear. Third, the cause of tension can be physical fatigue. Constant lack of sleep, caused by the baby’s regimen and household chores, can take a woman out of her psychological equilibrium. Fourthly, an unhappy family environment (conflict and discord in a married couple, lack of support from loved ones and a sense of “family happiness” or a serious illness of a family member) can exacerbate a woman’s stress and lead to depression.

Psychologists also note that typological features of a woman’s personality and age aggravate her emotional state in the postpartum period:

• In the “risk group” of women-mothers under the age of 18 and over 35.
• Emotionally unstable type (excitable, spontaneous, impulsive).
• Anxious personality type with heightened sensitivity and mistrustfulness (heightened sensitivity to influences from outside).
• Emotionally immature, women with infantile traits who cannot withstand life’s blows.
• Rigid, straightforward, over-responsive women with hypernormative attitudes.

An unfavorable obstetrical and gynecological history, unwillingness to have a child or the severity of the child’s condition (for example, a pathology discovered or features in the baby’s health) also set the stage for postpartum depression.

Mood deterioration after childbirth should be distinguished from postpartum depression. Immediately after childbirth, against the background of hormonal restructuring, the woman’s mood worsens and “postnatal sadness” with the presence of depressive reactions – they are not as deep, short and reversible – occurs during the first two or three weeks to 1 month of the baby’s life. Such “postpartum moping” is manifested by a woman’s tearfulness, feelings of depression, insecurity, fear, insecurity.

Postpartum depression proper begins with 3-4 months of the baby’s life and lasts up to six months and more. The symptoms of postpartum depression include a constant, deep melancholy, inability to enjoy the baby and life in general, lack of interest in caring for the baby, decreased appetite, increased anxiety, insomnia.

While mood swings usually have little effect on overall health and pass fairly quickly, postpartum depression affects the entire body and may last a very long time. Anxiety, depression, fatigue, irritability, panic attacks, feelings of unreality of what is happening, poor sleep, loss of appetite and libido, helplessness in household chores, loss of love for your child – all these are signs of a fairly common postpartum depression. And its consequence is that the woman ceases to feel the joy of her own motherhood, stops taking care of her appearance, avoids communication and may even become addicted to drugs or alcohol.