How to Help Someone With Postpartum Depression
⚠ SAFETY NOTICE
If you or someone you love is in immediate danger, call 911.
If you’re having thoughts of suicide or are in emotional crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
The Mental Health Hotline offers support and resources and is not a substitute for emergency services.
Everyone feels sad occasionally, but for many women, the time after having a baby, known as the postpartum period, doesn’t feel as joyful as expected. Postpartum depression is a form of depression that emerges due to the shifting hormones and mental and emotional changes that come after having a baby.
These “baby blues” include the exhaustion, worry and sadness many women feel after delivery. While some symptoms resolve within a few days or weeks, persistent feelings of woe, sadness, hopelessness or helplessness can indicate postpartum depression.
The good news is that there’s hope, and support is available. Reaching out to one of the resources below can connect you with help and point you toward the right care — whether you’re struggling yourself or supporting someone you love.
Signs of Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression (PPD) symptoms are similar to clinical depression and can also include:
- Crying more often than usual
- Withdrawing from friends and loved ones
- Feeling anger
- Feeling numb or disconnected from your baby
- Worrying that you might not be a good mother
- Worrying that you might accidentally hurt your baby
How intense your symptoms are can vary, and not every woman experiences the same PPD symptoms or to the same degree.
How to Help Someone With Postpartum Depression
Helping someone with PPD can be tricky for many concerned friends and family members. Your postpartum loved one may feel ashamed or guilty for feeling depressed after having a baby, since this is supposed to be a happy occasion.
Women who worry about being a good mother or fear they’ll harm their baby somehow may be especially scared to say anything. Offering your support with understanding and a nonjudgmental approach can help your friend feel more at ease and willing to seek treatment.
Why Some People Experience Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression can make you feel isolated and alone, but this condition is more prevalent than you may realize. A study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that about 1 in 10 women experience postpartum depression to some degree.
PPD isn’t your fault. If you’ve had PPD before, you have a higher risk of developing it again after a subsequent pregnancy. Women with depression or an anxiety disorder may also have a higher risk of developing postpartum depression.
What Are the Treatments for Postpartum Depression?
Although there’s no substitute for professional treatment, here’s what to do for postpartum depression so you can begin feeling better while you’re working through therapy:
- Sleep while your baby is sleeping, and try to get as much rest as you can.
- Ask for help; don’t try to do everything by yourself.
- Carve out time to spend alone with your partner or to visit friends without your baby.
- Talk with other mothers to learn from their lived experience.
- Talk to someone you trust about your feelings of isolation or depression.
- Join a new mothers support group.
Ending isolation can help new moms with PPD understand that they have a treatable mental health condition and aren’t bad mothers. We also encourage you to talk to a doctor about getting help for PPD. Some of the most common forms of treatment include:
- Individual therapy with a psychologist or therapist. They provide a safe space to work through your feelings and offer personalized strategies to address how PPD makes you feel, think and behave.
- Medication. Your doctor may prescribe an antidepressant to help lessen the symptoms of depression so you can focus more on therapy. If you’re breastfeeding, ask your doctor for medications that can be taken while you’re nursing.
- Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Some severe cases of postpartum depression may be treated with this type of therapy, but it’s important to understand the process and potential risks.
Resources for People With Postpartum Depression
If you or someone you know is feeling strong urges to harm themselves or their baby, get help right away — call 911 if anyone is in immediate danger, or call or text 988 for a mental health crisis. The resources below can also connect you with support.
Frequently Asked Questions
The “baby blues” — exhaustion, worry, and sadness — are common in the first days after delivery and usually ease within a couple of weeks. When feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or numbness persist beyond that, it may be postpartum depression, which is treatable and worth talking to a doctor about.
Lead with understanding and no judgment, since many new mothers feel ashamed of struggling during what’s “supposed” to be a happy time. Help with practical things like rest and childcare, encourage her to talk with a doctor, and gently stay present. Reassure her that PPD doesn’t make her a bad mother.
Take it seriously and act right away. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911. For thoughts of suicide or a mental health crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7. Stay with her and help her connect with support.
The Mental Health Hotline can help you find support and connect with appropriate care in your area, whatever your situation looks like. It’s free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day. Call 866-903-3787 for yourself or for someone you love.
You Don’t Have to Face Postpartum Depression Alone
Postpartum depression can feel isolating, but it’s common, treatable, and not your fault — and you don’t have to face it alone, whether you’re the one struggling or someone who loves them. The Mental Health Hotline can help you find support and connect with appropriate care in your area.
Your mental health, and the well-being of your new baby, matter. Calling is free and confidential, any time of day or night.