Description

Dr. Bennett explains the difference between the baby blues and Postpartum Depression / PPD.

Transcript

The "baby blues" is normal. It is a part of normal adjustment to motherhood between 50% and 80%. I mean, most moms get a few days of ups and downs, of weepiness, of feelings of dependency or vulnerability, but they are mild. It does not feel good, but it is mild and it should be gone. The "baby blues" should be gone by two weeks postpartum. If it continues past the two weeks, even if it is mild, we now call it postpartum depression and it takes some intervention. The other way we tell the difference is by the severity of the feelings. If even in those first couple of weeks, if the negative feelings, anxiety, depression, hopelessness, etc., really takes over the women’s day, if it gets in the way of her daily functioning, she should not wait. She should get help right away. That is the other way we tell the difference between what is normal, the baby blues, and what really needs some outside intervention, postpartum depression.