Types of Maternal Mental Health Conditions

Baby Blues

Baby Blues is the most common condition related to perinatal mental health and is not a sign of a mental health condition and affects 80% of birthing people and is primarily caused by the changing hormone levels in your body postpartum.

Common symptoms include tearfulness or crying spells, feeling irritable or frustrated, sadness, being overwhelmed, difficulty sleeping, and occasional worry.

With baby blues, people do not feel these emotions constantly, but they come and go like a wave throughout the day. These symptoms typically begin 2-3 days postpartum and last for a maximum of two weeks. They resolve on their own as the body resets its hormonal balance and you adjust to the challenges of caring for an infant.

Having a Rock Solid Support Plan can help navigate this adjustment period.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

These behaviors typically stem from a hypervigilance to protect the infant from harm. Parents with these disturbing and sometimes bizarre thoughts know that they are not ok to act on and do everything possible to protect their children from the fear of their thoughts becoming reality. They are unlikely to act on any of these upsetting thoughts.

An obsession is an unwanted thought that you cannot get out of your mind no matter how hard you try.

Compulsions are the activities you believe you must do or avoid to alleviate your distress.

Common symptoms can include:

  • Repeated checking on the baby even when you can hear the baby making noise.

  • Washing bottles or other supplies multiple times because they are not clean enough even though no dirt/grime can be seen.

  • Avoidance of going down stairs because you are certain you will fall/drop baby.

  • Avoidance giving baby a bath because you are certain the baby will drown.

  • Avoid being alone with the baby or the opposite—not allowing other to care for the baby— because of distressing reoccurring thoughts.

Perinatal Depression

Symptoms can begin at any time from conception through the first year postpartum. Symptoms include:

  • Persistent feelings of sadness or irritability or anger

  • Loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities

  • Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much (not because of baby/pregnancy discomfort)

  • Fatigue (not because of baby/pregnancy) or "robotic"

  • Changes in appetite (losing weight in pregnancy/putting on more weight postpartum)

  • Feelings of guilt or worthlessness - like they are failing as a parent

  • Difficulty concentrating or "brain fog"

  • Thinking they would be better off dead or that their family would be better off without them

  • Isolation and withdrawal from family, friends, and normal activities.

If you have been experiencing these symptoms for at least two weeks and nothing you try seems to help reach out for support.

Perinatal Anxiety

Anxiety disorders are at least as common as depression and can occur with depression.

Symptom include:

  • Feeling that your thoughts are racing or you you cannot stop worry.

  • Poor appetite.

  • Excessive worry - feeling that something bad will happen.

  • Feel that you are unable to relax or be still.

  • Restless sleep / insomnia

  • Recurrent intrusive thoughts or images of scary things happening to the baby. These thoughts may include accidental or intentional harm coming the baby and are upsetting and disturbing to the parent.

  • Excessive worry can also cause physical symptoms like nausea, hot flashes and dizziness.

  • Severe anxiety can also include symptoms of panic. Panic symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain, heart palpitations, and hyperventilation.

Bipolar Disorder

There are two types of bipolar disorder and can look like severe depression or anxiety. Many of the symptoms are similar.

A marker for bipolar disorder is a period of time where you feel you can function on very little sleep, make rash decisions, or behave in an extreme uncharacteristic manner. This could look like overconfidence or an inflated sense of self-importance, continuous high energy, or delusions and hallucinations.

Depending on the severity of this fluctuation between the highs and lows, hospitalization may be necessary to stabilize the birthing person.

70% of women receiving treatment prior to pregnancy who stop medication when pregnant will become ill.

Lack of sleep is the single biggest risk factor for reoccurrence.

It is extremely important that you consult with a psychiatrist who is familiar with reproductive psychiatry. If your psychiatrist is not, they can receive consultation through Postpartum Support International. This is a free service.

Unwanted Scary Thoughts

It is common to have thoughts about suicide or being dead with no intent to act on those thoughts. These thoughts, which do not match the person’s intent, do not indicate they are at risk for suicide. However, pregnancy and postpartum are not protective factors from suicide.

Untreated Maternal Mental Health Conditions

Most maternal deaths in the first six weeks postpartum were caused by suicide, overdose, and homicide and are due to mental health-related issues like trauma.

Being a first-time parent, having lower socioeconomic status, having a history of mental health conditions, and perceived interpersonal discrimination increased risk.

If you or someone you know are experiencing thoughts of wanting to harm yourself, are using substances, or are in an unsafe relationship you are at increased risk for maternal death.

See our Warmline and Crisis Supports below.

Postpartum Psychosis

Postpartum psychosis is extremely rare. However it can have devastating effects on the mother, baby and family.

Symptom onset tends to be between 3 and 6 weeks postpartum, however that doesn’t mean it can’t happen at other times during the pregnancy or postpartum.

A personal or family history of bipolar disorder or a previous psychotic episode are the most significant risk factors.

Symptoms include:

  • Strange or unusual beliefs

  • Hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t there)

  • Extreme irritability

  • Hyperactivity

  • Sense that you can function well on little to no sleep

  • Worried that others are trying to harm or interfere with your life is some way that is not seen by others

  • Extreme fluctuations in mood

  • Difficulty communicating / not making sense

This is a treatable and emergency situation. If you or a loved one are experiencing any symptoms related to postpartum psychosis call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room for evaluation.

Don’t Wait to Reach Out

The Right Support is Key

Post-traumatic Stress / Birth Trauma

Post-traumatic stress can be triggered in pregnancy from a personal history of trauma that resurfaces as a result of the pregnancy. For example, birthing people must undergo many vaginal examinations. This can be triggering for people with a history of sexual abuse.

Also, some people feel that their birth experience or other aspect of their care has been traumatic. This can be due to a near death experience, an emergency procedure, or feeling unheard in your care.

Symptoms of postpartum PTSD might include:

  • Intrusively re-experiencing the traumatic event

  • Flashbacks or nightmares

  • Avoidance of things that remind you of the traumatic event, including thoughts, feelings, people, places and details of the event

  • Irritability, difficulty sleeping, and easily startled

  • Anxiety and panic attacks

  • Feeling detached or sense that this is not your real life.

 

Warmline and Crisis Support

Warm lines are designed to provide anonymous empathetic listening and connection to resources in your area.

Crisis support is available 24/7 and designed to provide support, crisis intervention, and referrals.

If you are having thoughts of harming yourself or others please reach out for crisis support. If you have intention to act on these thoughts call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency room for help.

 
 

  • National Postpartum Depression Hotline

    1-800-PPD-MOMS

    Postpartum Support International

    Call: 1-800-944-4773

    Text 1-503-894-9453

    National Parent Helpline

    1-855-427-2736

    Parental Stress Line

    1-800-632-8188

  • Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255

    National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 988

  • Mental Health Urgent Care Clinic:

    Phone: (916) 520-2460

    Address: 2130 Stockton Boulevard, Building 300, Sacramento, CA 95817