The baby blues is the name for mood changes that affect many new mothers in the first few days after their baby is born.

If you have the baby blues, you may:

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Clay EC, Seehusen DA.
A review of postpartum depression for the primary care physician.
Southern Medical Journal. 2004; 97: 157-161.

 

 

 

 

 

¹

These feelings are usually the worst on the fourth or fifth day after your baby is born. They may last for a few hours or a few days. But they usually go away by the 10th day after the birth.

Unlike the worse mood changes of postpartum depression, baby blues don't affect your ability to look after yourself or your baby.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Clay EC, Seehusen DA.
A review of postpartum depression for the primary care physician.
Southern Medical Journal. 2004; 97: 157-161.

 

 

 

 

 

¹

We know that between 15 in 100 and 85 in 100 women get the baby blues. But we can't say exactly how many women get it because different studies say different things. We also don't know for certain what causes the baby blues. It may be a mixture of different things that happen when you have a baby. These things include:

But we do know that women who have had

 

 

 

 

 

depression
Depression is a mental illness in which your mood is low and you feel sad much of the time. It can range from a mild illness through to a severe one in which you lose interest in life and may be suicidal.

 

 

 

 

 

depression at other times in their lives, including the kind that comes on before your period (called premenstrual depression), are more likely than others to get the baby blues.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Henshaw C.
Mood disturbance in the early puerperium: a review.
Archive of Women's Mental Health. 2003; 6: 33-42.

 

 

 

 

 

²

Women who get the baby blues are more likely to get postpartum depression than those who don't get the baby blues. A quarter of women who have the baby blues go on to get postpartum depression.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
O'Hara MW, Swain AM.
Rates and risks of postpartum depression: a meta-analysis.
International Review of Psychiatry. 1996; 8: 37-54.

 

 

 

 

 

³

The information on ConsumerReportsHealth.org should not be viewed as a substitute for a consultation with a medical or health professional. The information is meant to enhance communication with your doctor, not replace it. Consumers Union can not be liable for any loss, injury, or other damages related to your use of this information.

Your use of this information is subject to our User Agreement available at www.ConsumerReportsHealth.org.