(Nathalie Slivinski/ Web MD) — It’s not uncommon for women to get the “baby blues” after giving birth. You might feel down, sad, anxious, overwhelmed, or depressed. Half or more of new mothers might go through it.
But in very rare cases, changes surrounding giving birth can bring on a very serious mental disorder called postpartum psychosis. Postpartum means after childbirth. Psychosis means you’ve lost touch with reality.
Some women who get postpartum psychosis had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other mental illnesses before. But most have no previous psychiatric problems.
Postpartum psychosis can come within a couple of weeks after you give birth. Usually, it happens suddenly. Different mothers may have different symptoms.
It can be tricky to tell if your symptoms are a normal part of recovering from childbirth, or something more serious. This is why it’s important to have a loved one or a friend keep an eye on you in the early days and weeks. (…)