After having your baby, you will
continue to be watched and get pain relief, if needed. You and your baby usually stay
at
the hospital for a couple of days to recover.

As you recover, the following
symptoms are not uncommon:

• Bloody vaginal discharge that
  changes to brown, then whitish over the next few weeks after delivery

• A tender vaginal area

• Painful contractions that may
  continue after delivery as the uterus goes back to its original size

• Breast engorgement as you
  start to produce breastmilk

• Fatigue and soreness, which
  are common in the first few weeks

It is generally advised that
you make an appointment with your healthcare provider 6 weeks after delivery to check
that you are healing properly.

During the first few weeks, you
need to take good care of yourself to rebuild your strength. The following steps can
help:

• Take naps when the baby naps,
  to make up for lost sleep at night from getting up to feed the baby.

• Wear a supportive bra. Cold
  packs may help relieve breast engorgement and swelling. Warm compresses can be
  used to help stimulate the letdown of milk. Letdown is a reflex that triggers the
  release of breastmilk. If you choose not to breastfeed, use ice packs and bind
  your breasts for several days to help ease engorgement.

• If stitches were needed
  during a vaginal delivery, take warm, shallow baths (sitz baths) twice a day to
  ease soreness and speed healing.

• After a cesarean
  section, keep the incision clean and dry.

It is not uncommon to have the
“baby blues” during the first days or weeks after delivery. They most often
happen suddenly on the third or fourth day after delivery. The “baby blues” have the
following symptoms. But each woman may have slightly different symptoms:

• Feelings of
  disappointment

• Crying with no known
  reason

• Trouble sleeping, eating, or making choices

• Uncertainty about being able to handle the baby

• Irritability

• Impatience

• Anxiety

• Restlessness

It is common for these “baby blues”
feelings to go away soon after they start and usually without treatment. These symptoms
may also be present in postpartum depression. Postpartum depression is a more severe
form of “baby blues.” Women with postpartum depression may have trouble coping with
their daily tasks.

Postpartum depression is much more
serious and lasting than the “baby blues.” The following are the most common symptoms
of
postpartum depression. But each woman may have slightly different symptoms. Symptoms
may include:

• Sadness

• Anxiety

• Hopelessness

• Fatigue or exhaustion

• Poor concentration

• Confusion

• A fear of harming the newborn
  or yourself

• Mood swings with exaggerated
  highs, lows, or both

• Lower sex drive (libido)

• Feelings of guilt

• Low self-esteem

• Uncontrolled crying and with
  no known cause

• Overconcern for or
  overattentiveness of the newborn, or a lack of interest in the newborn

• Appetite changes

• Sleep disturbances

• Resentment

• Memory loss

• Feelings of isolation

While the exact cause for
postpartum depression is unknown, it is likely that a number of different things are
involved. These may include:

• The changing of roles (as a
  spouse and new parent)

• Hormone changes during and
  after delivery

• Stress

• Personal or family history of
  mental illness, particularly postpartum depression

• Marriage problems

Typical diagnostic procedures for
postpartum depression include a complete health history, physical exam, and psychiatric
evaluation. In some cases, you may need a thyroid screening. This test can find any
hormone or metabolic problems that may be causing the postpartum depression.

Most women who get the “baby
blues,” postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, or postpartum obsessive-compulsive
disorder have never had these symptoms before, especially with such intensity. In
any
case, it is important to get proper treatment early. Treatment makes sure that the
newborn stays safe and properly cared for. It also helps ease symptoms so you can
experience all the joys of motherhood.

Your healthcare provider will
decide on treatment based on:

• Your age, overall health, and
  health history

• How serious your symptoms are
  and how long they have lasted

• Whether you are
  breastfeeding

• Your tolerance for specific
  medicines, procedures, or therapies

• Your opinion or
  preference

Treatment may include:

• Medicine such as hormone
  treatments, antidepressants, or both

• Psychological treatment for
  you and your family or partner

• Peer support such as support
  groups and educational classes

• Stress management and
  relaxation training

• Exercise

• Assertiveness training, if
  needed, to help you learn how to set limits with family members so you do not
  become overwhelmed and overworked