{"id":7045215,"date":"2026-08-23T20:32:38","date_gmt":"2026-08-23T20:32:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/uncategorized\/postpartum-mental-health-awareness-isabel-healthcare\/"},"modified":"2026-08-23T20:32:38","modified_gmt":"2026-08-23T20:32:38","slug":"postpartum-mental-health-awareness-isabel-healthcare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7045215","title":{"rendered":"Postpartum Mental Health Awareness – Isabel Healthcare"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\"ScreenIn a recent blog we covered mental health conditions which can occur during pregnancy<\/span><\/a>, but there are also some mental health conditions which can occur after the woman has given birth. The postpartum period is up to a year after giving birth,\u00a0 <\/span>If a woman has experienced mental ill health in the past, then she is more likely to become mentally unwell during pregnancy or in this postpartum period than at other times in her life.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Postpartum (postnatal) period<\/span><\/h2>\n

The postpartum or postnatal period begins immediately after the birth of a child and is the time when the mother\u2019s body, hormone levels and uterus size are returning to a non-pregnant state. The World Health Organization (WHO) describes the postnatal period as the most critical but also the most neglected phase of the lives of mothers and babies.\u00a0 <\/span>There are huge adaptations to be made during the postpartum period; the woman has gone through labor and delivery, may have had surgery or unexpected procedures during childbirth, has physical wounds which need to heal and now has a baby who is dependent on her for food, warmth and care, all whilst encountering a lack of sleep and difficulty maintaining routines. The mother may also be experiencing fears and concerns about her baby. During the postpartum period, 85% of women experience some type of mood disturbance. For most part the symptoms are mild and short-lived but in 10-15% the symptoms can become significant and lead to depression. Postpartum blues occur in 50 to 85% of women during the first few weeks after delivery.\u00a0 <\/span>This is a common mood disturbance and is to be expected after all the rigors of childbirth, therefore this shouldn\u2019t be classified as a psychiatric illness. With the postpartum blues, the symptoms experienced are mood lability, tearfulness, anxiety or irritability.\u00a0 <\/span>The symptoms peak around five days after the birth and tend to remit within two weeks of delivery.\u00a0 <\/span>The symptoms are unsettling for the woman but don\u2019t tend to interfere with her ability to function, and no treatment is required. If symptoms persist for longer than two weeks, then further evaluation is advised.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mental health conditions during the postpartum period<\/span><\/h2>\n

Awareness of postpartum mental health conditions are of utmost importance, as contact with the mother and baby reduces once the baby is born to routine checks and visits for vaccinations. It may not be apparent during these visits that the mother is experiencing any alterations in mood and they may not wish to disclose it.\u00a0 <\/span>It is important to open up conversations during these visits as\u00a0 impaired mother to infant interactions can occur in 10-25% of women with postpartum mental health disorders. This impairment may lead to maternal rejection of the baby, insecure attachment and cognitive or behavioral problems in the child.<\/span><\/p>\n

Postpartum depression (PPD)<\/span><\/h2>\n

This can occur within the first two to three months post delivery but can occur at any point during the first year.\u00a0 <\/span>The symptoms are the same as depression which can\u00a0happen at any point in someone\u2019s life and include:<\/span><\/p>\n