"It all went downhill when she got the postpartum."

"She was fine... then she had postpartum."

Can we clarify?

A person can get the flu.

Someone can have a cold virus.

"Postpartum" is not an illness or a mental health disorder. It is a normal period of time after a baby is born.

Every person who has a baby has a postpartum experience. A normal postpartum experience includes the body's recovery from birth and the change of hormones after pregnancy. This time frame may include some minor mood shifts (and some extra tears), fatigue (due to lack of sleep), bleeding/abdominal cramping, possible constipation, breast discomfort, etc. There may also be some 'baby blues' that last up to 2 weeks.

When someone says, "She had postpartum," they're probably referring to something different than the 'normal' postpartum experience.

They're referring to depression.

We call it Postpartum Depression or Postpartum Mood Disorders because the symptoms begin during the postpartum period. It has a very different set of symptoms than the expected postpartum experience. And while it occurs to many people, it falls outside of 'normal' because it is an issue that can be treated.

Postpartum Depression (or PPD) can include:

• Depressed mood or severe mood swings

• Excessive crying

• Difficulty bonding with your baby

• Withdrawing from family and friends

• Loss of appetite or eating much more than usual

• Inability to sleep (insomnia) or sleeping too much

• Overwhelming fatigue or loss of energy

• Reduced interest and pleasure in activities you used to enjoy

• Intense irritability and anger

• Fear that you're not a good mother

• Feelings of worthlessness, shame, guilt or inadequacy

• Diminished ability to think clearly, concentrate or make decisions

• Severe anxiety and panic attacks

• Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby

• Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide

These feelings aren't typically in the realm of "normal." If you're feeling feeling these things within the first year of having your baby, please call your doctor and make an appointment.