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  1. #1

    what is postpartum blues?

    What is postpartum blues? Is it what they called as birth trauma or if not what is the difference of postpartum blues to birth trauma?

  2. #2

    There is postpartum blues ('the baby blues') and also postpartum depression. The baby blues is very common and tends to occur within the first week of giving birth and involves a temporary feeling of low mood at a time when when you feel you should be ecstatic with your new arrival. It tends to coincide with a woman's breastmilk supply increasing (beyond the colostrum stage). The baby blues is also thought to be caused the increased tiredness levels which inevitably come with having a new baby and just giving birth.

    Postpartum blues is also referred to as postnatal depression and is when a women feels depressed after giving birth. The signs that you are suffering from this include:

    - having low energy
    - feeling disconnected from your baby or unable to bond with your baby
    - feeling sad for a long period of time
    - a low mood you cannot break out of
    - having a low appetite
    - feeling constantly tired

    If a woman's low mood does not improve a couple of weeks after giving birth than it is likely to be postpartum depression rather than simply postpartum blues - if so it is important to get help from a health professional as well as extra support from family and friends. There is no shame in suffering from postpartum depression - around 1 in 5 mums experience it.

    A woman experiences birth trauma after she has been through a birth she feels was a traumatic event. Some women (myself included) even suffer from post-traumatic shock after birth. This is tragic - birth should be an empowering and positive experience however the journey takes you. I went on to have a second positive birthing experience which has helped me to recover further from my first traumatic birthing experience.

    A woman who has experienced birth trauma is more likely to suffer from both postpartum blues and postpartum depression.

    I hope this makes these terms clearer for you.

    Please do ask any further questions you have here. Birthing and pregnancy should be free from medical-lingo and confusion.

    Best wishes,


  3. #3
    Thanks Lj.

  4. #4
    You are very welcome. As I said above, I have experienced post-traumatic stress after a long and traumatic first labour and I am now through the other side of this. If there is anything you or someone you know needs support with concerning a traumatic birth or postpartum depression then please let us know. All of these are unfortunately very common and a good support base is important when a woman is struggling.

    With best wishes,


  5. #5
    I once attended a seminar and I learned from there that postpartum depressions are caused by lack of B-vitamins. They say, that the baby's brain is formed from the B-vitamins of the mum's brains, so , most of the time, mothers who give birth have B-vitamins depletion... resulting to depression.

    So, when I was pregnant with my two babies, I took food supplements rich in B-vitamins (Chia seeds) and I did not experience post-partum blues.

  6. #6
    That's interesting xylumictin - thank you for sharing this information.

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