Baby Blues or Something More?
After having a baby, some women get the baby blues, which can make you feel sad or worried for a few days. If these feelings don’t go away in a few days or you feel sad, hopeless, or anxious for longer than 2 weeks, it could be postpartum depression.
Postpartum depression is a serious mental health condition that involves your brain. It affects your behavior and physical health. The sad and hopeless feelings don’t go away and can interfere with your day-to-day life. You might not feel connected to your baby.
Your feelings are not uncommon. Approximately 1 in 5 new moms experience mental health challenges during or after pregnancy.
Postpartum depression is sometimes thought of as baby blues at first, but the symptoms are more intense and last longer. It can affect your ability to care for your baby and handle daily tasks. Symptoms usually develop within the first few weeks after giving birth, but can actually begin during pregnancy or up to a year after giving birth.
Postpartum depression symptoms can include:
- Depressed mood or severe mood swings
- Crying more than usual
- Difficulty bonding with your baby
- Withdrawing from family and friends
- Loss of appetite or eating much more than usual
- Inability to sleep or sleeping too much
- Overwhelming tiredness or loss of energy
- Less interest in activities
- Intense irritability and anger
- Fear that you're not a good mother
- Hopelessness
- Feelings of worthlessness, shame, guilt or inadequacy
- Reduced ability to think clearly, concentrate or make decisions
- Restlessness
- Severe anxiety and panic attacks
- Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby
- Recurring thoughts of death or suicide
- Contact your health care provider or a member of your care team.
- Call the phone number on the back of your insurance card to ask about services and providers available to you.
- National Maternal Mental Health Hotline - 1-833-TLC-MAMA
- Call or text trained counselors who can listen to what you’re going through, connect you with local support groups and organizations and refer you to healthcare professionals. Services are free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Postpartum Support International - 1-800-944-4773
- Call or text between 8am and 11pm to talk, ask questions and connect with local resources.
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – 988
- Call or text trained crisis counselors who can provide emotional support and counseling if you are in a suicidal crisis or experiencing emotional distress and connect you to resources. Services are free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- PA Navigate is an online tool that can connect you with supportive services such as financial assistance, food pantries, medical care, and other free or reduced-cost help.
- Caring for your mind only makes you stronger. | Love, Your Mind is a national website working to help people understand and manage strong emotions.
- PA 211 - Get Connected. Get Help. Find locally curated social services information online or speak to specially trained Call Specialists who can answer questions and connect you to services in your community.
To Support Pennsylvania Mothers, Shapiro Administration Calls for Universal Postpartum Depression Screenings, Faster Mental Health Referrals
Governor Shapiro’s budget seeks to improve the health of mothers and babies by implementing universal postpartum depression screenings throughout the Commonwealth.
- The Governor’s 2025-2026 budget proposal provides $5 million to fund maternal health initiatives, including identifying and addressing postpartum depression and anxiety.
- The proposal directs DOH to prepare doctors and nurses to identify signs of postpartum mood disorders more quickly and speed up referrals to mental health professionals and other resources.
See why new moms and Pennsylvania doctors voice support for Governor Shapiro’s efforts to provide postpartum depression screenings to all Pennsylvania mothers:
Moms matter. I think it's essential that we give moms the opportunity to determine if they're experiencing more than Baby Blues.
– Ta’lor Pinkston, Western Pennsylvania mom
Ta’lor Pinkston, a Western Pennsylvania mom, discusses the importance of postpartum depression screenings
Dr. Priya Gopalan, Chief of Psychiatry for UPMC-Magee Womens Hospital talks about the importance of postpartum depression screenings
Postpartum depression screenings are extraordinarily effective and allow us to find the individuals who are suffering in silence.
- Dr. Priya Gopalan, Chief of Psychiatry for UPMC-Magee Womens Hospital