The Skriker Actor Packet

THE BABY BLUES?
The Aftermath of Childbirth and What it MAY MEAN
for New Mothers
Postpartum Disorders
Postpartum mood disorders are
extremely common, and have a huge range
of severity. Women have the highest
chance of suffering from mental illness
after giving birth, than any other time in
their life (Levy). Up to 80% of mothers
experience something called the baby blues.
Women experiencing the baby blues go
through mild depression up to a year after
giving birth. Women can experience mood
swings, lack of sleep, anxiety, loss of
appetite, and difficulty concentrating.
These symptoms usually manifest within
three or four days, and often don’t last
longer than two or three weeks. The most widely accepted cause of the baby
blues is the severe change in hormone levels. Once the hormones level out, the
baby blues fade away. Beyond lots of rest, no other treatment is necessary.
Unfortunately, these symptoms can be more severe, and can go on much longer.
This goes beyond the baby blues, and is known as postpartum depression.
Postpartum depression manifests within 6 months of the delivery.
Symptoms of postpartum depression are similar to the baby blues and
depression. Postpartum depression includes negative thoughts towards the
infant, worrying about hurting the infant (being paralyzed for its safety), feelings
of worthlessness and guilt, along with thoughts of death or suicide. While the
change in hormone levels is a large part of these symptoms, other factors
influence the onset of postpartum depression.
Stress in one of the main inducers of postpartum depression. Anything
that contributes to anxiety about the birth of the baby can play a role. Women
who have previously suffered from postpartum depression are more likely to find