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Having postpartum depression is not your fault. But if you have it, it's important to get help, both for your own sake and you baby's. That's because this illness can stop you bonding properly with your baby and affect your baby's development. But the faster you get better, the fewer problems your baby is likely to have.

Research has shown that babies of mothers with postpartum depression may:^{1 2}

• Not bond as closely with their mothers as the babies of mothers who don't have postpartum depression
• Have behavior problems, including crying a lot, being withdrawn or being demanding.

We can't say that postpartum depression causes these problems. It is just that researchers see these problems more in babies whose mothers have postpartum depression.

But if depression makes it hard for a woman to interact with her baby, doctors think it could affect how the child develops.²

Researchers have also found that if you are depressed, you are less likely to:³

• Keep breastfeeding your baby
• Show books to your baby
• Play with or talk to your baby
• Follow routines.

How long your depression lasts seems to matter. Women who recover from their depression by the time their baby is six months old relate better to their baby than women whose depression lasts longer.⁴

And there is some evidence that later problems in children are most likely when their mother has depression that lasts a long time or depression that comes back, rather than postpartum depression alone.⁵

Treatment can help improve your relationship with your baby. And it may help with your baby's development.⁶

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.