Baby blues or postpartum depression? How to tell the difference
Most new parents cry more than they expected in the first two weeks. How to tell the baby blues from postpartum depression, and what to do if you are not sure.
AI-assisted educational guide based on the public sources below. Not clinically reviewed. Your family's care team should guide medical decisions. How we write and check our guides.
The first two weeks after a birth can feel like an emotional storm. You love the baby, you are exhausted, and you are crying at a commercial for dish soap. For most people that is the baby blues, and it passes. For some it is the start of postpartum depression, which is less likely to lift on its own, can last for months, and responds well to treatment.
You do not have to work out which one it is by yourself. But knowing the difference helps you, your partner and the people around you know what to watch for. You never need to wait two weeks to call if something feels wrong, frightening or unsafe.
The baby blues
- Very common: up to 80 percent of new mothers have them.
- Usually start two to three days after birth.
- Mood swings, tearfulness, irritability, feeling overwhelmed or anxious, trouble sleeping.
- They come and go: you can have good hours in the middle of a bad day.
- Usually fade by themselves within about two weeks.
Postpartum depression
- Common too: around one in seven new mothers, and about one in ten new fathers.
- Can start in pregnancy or any time in the first year, not only the first weeks.
- Sadness, emptiness, hopelessness or numbness that is there most of the day, most days.
- Losing interest in things, feeling like a bad parent, guilt or shame that will not let up.
- Changes in sleep and appetite beyond what the baby explains, like being unable to sleep when you have the chance.
- Feeling cut off from the baby, or like the baby would be better off with someone else.
- It lasts longer than two weeks, or gets heavier instead of lighter.
Two questions worth asking: how long, and how heavy
Two questions help more than any checklist. Has it lasted more than two weeks? Is it getting in the way of eating, sleeping, looking after yourself or the baby, or enjoying anything at all? If either answer is yes, talk to someone now rather than waiting to see if it lifts.
Anxiety, panic and scary intrusive thoughts count too, even without sadness. Postpartum anxiety is about as common as depression and often travels with it.
What to do if you are not sure
- Tell your OB, midwife, family doctor or the baby's pediatrician. Many use a short questionnaire called the EPDS; it takes five minutes.
- Call the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262). It is free, confidential and open any time, and they can help you sort out what you are feeling.
- Ask your partner or a friend to make the first call with you, or for you.
- Protect sleep in the meantime. One unbroken stretch of four or five hours can take the edge off, whichever it turns out to be.
Treatment works
Postpartum depression is not a character flaw or a sign you should not have had a baby. It is a medical condition with good treatment: talk therapy, sometimes medication (many options are considered compatible with breastfeeding, which a prescriber can go through with you), peer support and practical help at home. Many people start to feel better within a few weeks of starting care. Find Care can help you search for perinatal therapists and psychiatric providers near you.
Common questions
How long do the baby blues last?
The baby blues usually start two to three days after birth and fade by themselves within about two weeks. If low mood, anxiety or tearfulness lasts longer than two weeks, or is getting worse, talk to your provider about postpartum depression or anxiety.
Can postpartum depression start months after birth?
Yes. Postpartum depression can begin in pregnancy or at any point in the first year after birth. It can show up around weaning, a return to work or a long stretch of poor sleep, well after the six-week checkup.
Can the baby blues turn into postpartum depression?
Sometimes. Most baby blues fade, but symptoms that stay past two weeks or get heavier can be the start of postpartum depression. That is why the two-week mark is a useful moment to check in with your provider.
Is it postpartum depression if I don't feel sad?
It can be. Some people feel mostly numb, irritable, angry or anxious rather than sad. Constant worry, panic, or not being able to sleep when you have the chance are also worth raising with your provider.
Who should I call first?
Your OB, midwife, family doctor or your baby's pediatrician can all screen for postpartum depression and refer you. If you are not sure where to start, the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (1-833-852-6262) is free and open 24/7. In a crisis, call or text 988.
Sources and further help
Drawn from public guidance including NIMH Perinatal Depression, Postpartum Support International, ACOG Clinical Practice Guideline No. 4, Screening and Diagnosis of Mental Health Conditions During Pregnancy and Postpartum. Educational only; not medical advice.
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Keep reading
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Read the guideMental health after birth: what is common, what needs help
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Read the guideScary thoughts after having a baby: intrusive thoughts explained
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