Beauty Tips

How to Tell if You Have Postpartum Depression

The condition might not be as obvious as you think (lots of women overlook no. 7)

by Rose Curiel | COMMENT

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Postpartum Depression: Every Case is Unique So, let's say you make it through those first ten days and you're still not feeling like yourself. There are symptoms that may indicate you're suffering from postpartum depression (more on those in a minute), but Kleiman is quick to point out that "one of the best determinations of whether something that a mom is experiencing is problematic is the extent to which it bothers her." Take bouts of crying, for example. Kleiman says she talks to patients about the intensity, frequency and duration of the crying, because that's what clues her in to whether a woman might need help.

"Whatever it is that mom's feeling, if it's interfering with her ability to get through the day, if she's thinking about it too much, if it's making her feel too bad, that tells us that she needs some attention," says Kleiman. "So, it's not necessarily the symptom itself*, but when it becomes a problem for her, when her distress is so high that it interferes with her functioning, that's when we know she needs help -- and that can be very different from woman to woman."

So, what exactly are some of those symptoms that may point to postpartum depression?

*Thoughts of suicide or harming your child, however, qualify as symptoms that require immediate attention.

SEE NEXT PAGE: Postpartum Depression Symptoms: Anxiety

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