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Postpartum Depression

When Having a Baby Gives You More Than the Blues

Part Two

By Karen Kleiman, MSW

How do you know if what you are feeling is "normal"or if it is PPD? Because of the reasons noted previously, it has been difficult for women to get the help they need. It is important for women to know when what they are feeling is okay, and when they may need to seek further support. Frequently, it is not just what you are feeling that tells us that something may be amiss, but it is the frequency, intensity and duration of the feeling. In other words, it is common for a new mother to feel sad and anxious intermittently throughout the early months. It may be a concern, however, if she is crying all day long and experiencing panic attacks keeping her up at night.

This is what makes the diagnosis of PPD so complicated. There is no standardized, scientific test to determine the degree of adjustment difficulty. Confirmation of PPD is made by clinical description, that is, what mom reports, how she looks, how she sounds. If you have recently had a baby are are not feeling quite yourself, it i important to take this seriously. If you have been feeling bad for more than two weeks, it may be time to consider talking to a professional about how you are feeling.

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• Next Part
• Part One
• Part Two
• Part Three
• Part Four