You’ve been waiting nine long months, and you’ve finally had the baby you’ve always wanted. While you expect to be flooded with joy, you might find that you are stricken with fear, sadness, and even depression. If you have feelings of utter despair after delivery, you’re likely suffering from postpartum depression. Unfortunately, postpartum depression is difficult to predict and control, but it is not uncommon. There is absolutely no reason to be ashamed if you feel depressed, and you should bring it up to your doctor instead of hiding it. Research shows that trying to hide it makes the problem much worse and leaving it untreated could actually affect your baby’s behavioral development.

It’s obvious how postpartum depression will affect you. You might become withdrawn from your friends, uninterested in otherwise exciting activities, and you could resort to stress activities such as overeating. However, studies show that postpartum depression has a profoundly negative effect on babies, as well. When babies are born to mothers affected by this type of depression, they will have more cognitive development deficits and behavioral problems when they turn one than babies who were born to unaffected mothers. These developmental problems are measured by social behavior, fear, and stress reactivity, which are all indicators of life problems later down the line.

You might feel ashamed to admit that you have postpartum depression because you’ll feel like it makes you look like an inadequate mother. Doctors know that this is not the case, and that postpartum depression is actually a result of hormonal imbalances brought on by the pregnancy itself. Don’t be afraid to bring it up as soon as you start to feel sad. Early detection will lead to early treatment, which will let you get back to your new job as a mom sooner. By taking care of it early, you’ll help your baby develop more normally because you will not be hindered by the feelings of depression. No one will doubt your abilities as a mother when you admit that you’re feeling depressed. Instead, they will respect your courage and honesty and help you get to a mental state where you can raise your child as you know you should.

 – Yvonne S. Thornton, M. D., M. P. H.