The baby blues
“Baby blues” is not the same as postnatal depression, often described as a short term period of low mood or low level depression up to a couple of weeks after giving birth, usually medical treatment is not needed.
Baby blues affects more than half of all new mums and is often considered a normal reaction to the huge biological and life changing recent event of giving birth. However, it is when these feelings continue for several months and the feelings are stronger, that it may develop into postnatal depression.
Here are some of the symptoms of postnatal depression:
- Teary or crying for extended periods
- Sleep problems
- Emotionally not feeling connected to your baby
- A persistent feeling of sadness and low mood
- Loss of interest in the world around you and no longer enjoying things that used to give pleasure
- Lack of energy and feeling tired all the time
- Low appetite or an increase in appetite (comfort eating)
- Feelings of guilty re your feeling for you baby
- Feeling suicidal or thinking about hurting yourself or your baby (in extreme conditions)
How I can help you.

Paul Parkin Online Counselling, Therapy and Life Coaching.
If you are worried about your wellbeing or the wellbeing of your baby, talk to your GP or midwife as a first port of call. If you feel talking about your feelings from the comfort and safety of your own home would help, online counselling offers new mums a way to get the help they need.
Therapeutic online counselling is very helpful to people who have problems which they feel they don’t have answers to. My experience of working with families and children, and my experience of bringing up a son enables me to know the issues and some of the ways in which new mums can be helped through this difficult period, and it really does help to talk.