Baby blues: sadness after childbirth

There are some women who, after giving birth, go into a state of inexplicable sadness. Irritability, emotional decay, sudden mood swings, fatigue appear and, in some cases, spontaneous crying appears.

This phenomenon does not always have to be a case of postpartum depression; it could also be something known as baby blues and that, in fact, it is very frequent.

What is the baby blues?

The baby blues is a psychological phenomenon that involves entering a state of sadness which can last between a few hours, a few days and two weeks after delivery. It is considered to be especially common in new mothers, and its symptoms are not so severe as to significantly interfere with the tasks of the person who has given birth.

This means that although the baby blues is annoying and causes discomfort (or, rather, it is the discomfort itself) it does not make women unable to carry out their daily tasks and does not detract from their autonomy.

The baby blues is, more than anything, a phenomenon that affects the subjectivity of the person, and that beyond the discomfort itself does not have very clear and obvious objective representations.

From a clinical point of view, it does not matter much.

Ultimately, the baby blues is not a psychological disorder, but a set of mild symptoms that, added, do not compromise the mother's mental health.

How does it manifest?

Among the most common baby blues symptoms are these:

• Loss of appetite
• Trouble sleeping
• Irritability
• Feeling sick and sadness in general
• Fatigue
• Spontaneous crying whose causes are difficult to determine

The causes of the baby blues

What is the origin of the baby blues? It is not easy to tell, but specialists attribute it to the sudden hormonal changes that occur in the mother after birth. Specifically, the hormones and substances involved in these changes are estrogens, the serotonin, progesterone and prolactin.

However, not all causes are isolated within the mother's biology: the way in which she is affected by the environment also has important effects. Specifically, the need to care for the baby during the first two weeks produces significant physical and psychological wear and tear that, many times, results in lack of sleep.

In turn, the effects produced by the environment in the body are mixed with the hormonal changes generated by childbirth, and from this neurochemical whirlwind the baby blues is born.

The mild version of postpartum depression

It is very common to confuse the baby blues with postpartum depression, since both phenomena are related to sadness. However, the differences between both phenomena are remarkable. In fact, the baby blues is sometimes called the baby blues to differentiate it from this other.

The baby blues is a set of symptoms, while postpartum depression is a threat to mental health and it is the reason for clinical, psychological and psychiatric treatment that sometimes requires the use of psychotropic drugs. In addition, the first disappears on its own, but the second must be treated by health specialists.

Furthermore, while baby blues can last a maximum of two weeks and it can only appear during the following days after birth, postpartum depression can last a year and appear at a later stage, weeks after the moment of giving birth.

On the other hand, the baby blues is much more frequent, since can appear in up to 80% of cases of childbirth, while postpartum depression in any of its degrees of intensity does not exceed 15%.

• You may be interested: "The 6 differences between sadness and depression"

How to deal with the baby blues

To know how to manage the baby blues, it is advisable to follow these simple guidelines:

1. Understand that it is something hormonal

It is useless trying to rationalize your emotions and your discomfort, blaming others. It is preferable to bear in mind that this discomfort is due to a very common hormonal imbalance, and that it will pass on its own.

2. Find moments to rest

If you can have the opportunity to rest and sleep well, much of the discomfort if will go soon.

3. Follow routines

Do not expose yourself to very chaotic and unpredictable behavioral dynamics: follow well-defined habits to make it easier for your hormone levels to rebalance.

4. Accept help from others

Having a childbirth is not easy, and others know it. The baby blues is just one of many proofs of that. For this reason, it is a good idea to accept the help of those who are in a position to help with the tasks.