Postpartum Depression

Sadness After Childbirth: When is it more than the baby blues?

by Nadja Reilly, Ph.D, Associate Director, Freedman Center for Child and Family Development, Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology

Welcome to motherhood! Your little bundle of joy has arrived, and you may be faced with a myriad of feelings – happiness, relief, hope, as well as concerns, exhaustion, and uncertainty. Motherhood brings multiple demands and expectations. You are expected to be a good mother – one that is responsive to her child, knows how to comfort and nurture her baby. But what if you don't feel at all comfortable? What if you feel sad and exhausted and not sure about what to do for your baby? If you are feeling this way, you are definitely not alone. It is not unusual for new moms to feel sad, tired and unsure of their parenting skills. In fact, many new moms go through these feelings, and as many as 80% may experience the "baby blues." Baby blues are characterized by periods of crying for no apparent reason, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, and restlessness. Thankfully, these symptoms usually diminish approximately within 3-7 days of delivery.

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Resource Organizations » Postpartum Depression

6 listing(s), including 1 with hotlines and 2 offering support groups

In Massachusetts

MGH Center for Women's Mental Health

www.womensmentalhealth.org/
The MGH Center for Women’s Mental Health
185 Cambridge St, Suite 2200
Boston, MA  02114
For appointments: 617-724-7792
This website provides a range of current information including discussion of new research findings in women's mental health and how such investigations inform day-to-day clinical practice. Despite the growing number of studies being conducted in women's health, the clinical implications of such work are frequently controversial, leaving patients with questions regarding the most appropriate path to follow. Providing these resources to patients and their doctors so that individual clinical decisions can be made in a thoughtful and collaborative fashion dovetails with the mission of our Center.

Center for Early Relationship Support, Jewish Family & Children's Services (JF&CS)

www.jfcsboston.org/OurPrograms/ChildrenFamilies/tabid/179/Default.aspx
Offers support group(s)
1430 Main Street
Waltham, MA  02451
781-647-5327
The Center for Early Relationship Support is a center of excellence for direct services, training, supervision, and consultation that focus on the earliest parent-infant relationship. Programs include free home visits for new parents, support groups for new parents, specialized treatment for parents with postpartum adjustment disorders, sleep and feeding consultations, services for premature infants, and programs for parents under 21 years old.

Postpartum Support International of Massachusetts

www.postpartumma.org/
Offers support group(s)
MA Helpline: 866-472-1897
National Helpline; English and Spanish: 800-944-4773
The purpose of Postpartum Support International is to increase awareness among public and professional communities about the emotional changes that women experience during pregnancy and postpartum. Approximately 15% of all women will experience postpartum depression following the birth of a child. Up to 10% will experience depression or anxiety during pregnancy. When the mental health of the mother is compromised, it affects the entire family. PSI disseminates information and resources through the volunteer coordinators, its website, and an annual conference. PSI of Massachusetts is a volunteer organization of providers, survivors and other concerned individuals dedicated to the mission of PSI International. These support volunteers provide telephone and email support, information, and access to informed local resources.

Outside Massachusetts

MedEd PPD

www.mededppd.org/mothers/
MedEdPPD.org is a Web site developed with the support of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to provide education about postpartum depression (PPD). This part of the site, Mothers and Others, contains information for women with PPD and their friends and families.MedEdPPD.org has many resources for women with PPD and their families. There is a simple, easy-to-use online test that can be used to help figure out if someone might have PPD. The website also provides the top 10 myths about PPD and what the real facts are. In addition, the site provides audio clips of the experiences of other mothers as well as answers to questions from experts in the field are available to listen to. There is also information that can help friends and family learn more about PPD and how they can be offer support.

National Women's Health Information Center

www.womenshealth.gov/faq/depression-pregnancy.cfm
US Department of Health and Human Services
800-994-9662
Provides straight-forward factual information about depression, postpartum depression, including symptoms and frequency of occurrences, as well as providing links to organizations that might provide help. The organization also provides a phone number that can be called to receive additional information.

Postpartum Education for Parents

www.sbpep.org/
PO Box 261
Santa Barbara, CA  93160
PEP (Postpartum Education for Parents), a group of trained parent volunteers, offers numerous programs to help parents and families thrive with their new children. PEP believes that there is no one right way to parent. Your confidence in being a parent will increase with the knowledge that other parents, through PEP, are there to help you. PEP recognizes that adding a child to the family is not a simple process and that there are significant problems inherent in postpartum adjustment for both parents, but especially for the mother. This website includes a variety of information for new parents, including information about postpartum depression, information for new fathers unique to their experience, a self-assessment questionnaire regarding postpartum depression, and new parent discussion groups.

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Disclaimer: Material on the Project INTERFACE web site is intended as general information. It is not a recommendation for treatment, nor should it be considered medical or mental health advice. Project INTERFACE urges families to discuss all information and questions related to medical or mental health care with a health care professional.