Postpartum conditions
- Baby blues: tearfulness and mood swings in the first days, improving within two weeks
- Postpartum depression: depressive symptoms that persist or begin in the weeks and months after birth
- Postpartum anxiety and panic: excessive worry about the baby, panic attacks, intrusive thoughts
- Postpartum psychosis: rare and serious, with confusion, hallucinations or strange ideas, requiring immediate care
Signs and symptoms
- Sadness, emptiness and frequent crying beyond the first weeks
- Lack of interest, including in the baby, and guilt about it
- Intense anxiety, fear of being alone with the baby
- Frightening intrusive thoughts that something bad will happen
- Insomnia even when the baby sleeps
- Feeling unable to cope, irritability, hopelessness
How it is diagnosed
The assessment considers the pregnancy and birth, previous episodes of depression or bipolar disorder, sleep, family support and postpartum medical conditions such as thyroid changes and anemia. Telling depression apart from a first episode of bipolar disorder is important, as it changes treatment.
Treatment
- Psychotherapy and a stronger support network
- Medication, when indicated, chosen with breastfeeding in mind: compatible options exist, and the decision weighs risks and benefits for mother and baby together
- Protecting the mother’s sleep, sharing tasks within the family
- In postpartum psychosis, emergency care
When to see a psychiatrist
When symptoms last more than two weeks, anxiety prevents you from caring for yourself or the baby, or there are thoughts of harming yourself or the baby. In that case, seek immediate help at an emergency room or, in Brazil, call 188 (CVV).
Follow-up at the practice
At the practice in Campinas, Dr. Petrus Raulino welcomes mothers without judgment, explains the diagnosis and breastfeeding-compatible options and, when useful, talks with the obstetrician and pediatrician. Video visits help when leaving home is difficult.
Staging: text awaiting medical review by Dr. Petrus before publishing.
This content is for information only and does not replace a medical consultation. Diagnosis and treatment depend on an individual assessment. In crisis or having thoughts of suicide? In Brazil call 188 (CVV, 24 hours, free) or go to the nearest emergency room. In an emergency, call 192 (SAMU).