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If you have postpartum depression, we can't say exactly when you will start to feel better. It depends on how bad your depression is and whether you get help

Most women get back to normal by the time their baby is six months old.¹ But about 1 in 4 women are still depressed by the time their baby is one year old. And some women still have problems three years after that.²

If this is the first time you have been depressed, you are more likely to get better quickly than if you have had depression before.³

Postpartum depression usually goes away on its own. But if your doctor thinks you have it, he or she may suggest treatments. The main ones are antidepressant drugs and talking treatments (psychotherapy). They may help you feel better faster.

You may not want to take drugs for postpartum depression, especially if you are breastfeeding your baby. But talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits. Bad depression that goes on for a long time can harm your baby and your partner as well as yourself.

If you have postpartum depression, it may lead to:^{2 4 5}

• Difficulties in bonding with your baby
• Problems with your baby's development
• Problems with your marriage or partnership
• Depression in your partner
• Suicide, but this is rare.

For more about how the illness can affect your relationship with your baby and your baby's development, see Postpartum depression and your baby.

Treatment for your postpartum depression can improve your relationship with your baby. It may also help your child's development.⁶

If you have postpartum depression, there is a chance you will get it again in a later pregnancy. If you get this postpartum depression diagnosed, your doctor will know to watch for it next time.

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.