Postpartum Pathways

Postpartum Depression is a real illness. It can be mild, moderate or severe. It is temporary and treatable. It is no one's fault. It can happen to any woman during or after a pregnancy, even women who have had other babies without having PPD. In PPD, symptoms start during pregnancy or up to a year after birth and are present for two weeks or longer. Most women with PPD have a sense that something isn't right for them. They often report "I don't feel like myself." If this describes you, you may have postpartum depression.

Warning signs of PPD are different for everyone, but can include:

• Feeling sad most of the day
• Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
• Changes in appetite
• Feeling hopeless
• Crying a lot
• Feeling guilty or worthless
• Difficulty concentrating
• Over concern about the baby
• Feelings of being a bad mother
• Fear of hurting the baby or yourself
• Anxiety attacks
• Irritable, angry or nervous
• Fear of being alone with the baby
• No longer enjoying the things you used to enjoy

Any woman can experience Postpartum Depression whether or not these risk factors are present. However, it is helpful to know that many women who experience Postpartum Depression report one more of the following characteristics:

• A difficult pregnancy
• History of depression in yourself or family
• Feeling a lack of support from family and friends
• A birth that did not go as planned
• Medical problems in mother or baby
• PPD after a previous pregnancy
• Sudden change in routine
• Breast feeding problems
• High levels of stress

• The Postpartum Stress Center
• Postpartum Support International
• NJ Speak Up
• Med Ed PPD