Know the signs and symptoms of postpartum depression

Feeling sad, hopeless, empty, or overwhelmed

Some of the symptoms that I experienced were extreme sadness, and then after that, I remember crying and then after that I couldn't really feel any more. So it was a whirlwind of emotions. But overall, I wasn't myself. I was hopeless to the point where I felt like there was no return.

—Chelsie

Crying more often than usual or for no apparent reason

Things were really bad when I spent most of the day just crying.

—Michelle

Feeling worried or overly anxious

I've always had a lot of anxiety, but it really started to ramp up. I started to have panic attacks at night where I'd start worrying about the baby.

—Laura

Moodiness, restlessness, or irritability

I remember that a lot of things—the littlest things would set me off and make me very angry.

—Brianne

Anger or rage

I took out a lot of that anger on my husband and my oldest daughter, and anything that they did—the smallest thing—I would just scream at them, just scream at the top of my lungs at them.

—Brianne

Persistent doubt about your ability to care for your baby

I just felt inadequate. When I would hold my son and try to console him, he would just cry. And I felt like everyone else could take care of him but me.

—Chelsie

Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby

I began thinking of hurting and harming myself very early on.

—Alexis

Physical aches and pains

I had full-body aches, and it wasn't flu symptoms or anything like that. I just felt like I'd worked out for 72 hours straight.

—Cassandra

Changes in appetite

I ate very little because I just felt drained.

—Alexis

Lack of sleep or oversleeping

I first started experiencing symptoms of PPD when I wasn't getting enough sleep. They say sleep when your child is sleeping. So when my son is sleeping, I—my mind was just still running, thinking about things.

—Cassandra

Difficulty concentrating

An inability to focus and really complete thoughts—so just my normal day-to-day functions, I wasn't able to do anymore.

—Chelsie

Loss of interest in things that are usually enjoyable

I would just lay around and wouldn't do too much. I was still getting up and feeding my child and changing her and doing what I know as a mom you're supposed to do... but I didn't have any joy doing any of that at all.

—Brianne

Avoiding friends and family

I did not want my grandmother coming over. I didn't want my husband's mom and his family to come over. Why do they want to come over? Don't they know we just had a baby?

—Alexis

Having trouble bonding or forming an al attachment with your baby

And then just my everyday tasks with Nora—there was no bond. We didn't bond. I didn't want to hold her. I didn't want to—I didn't care where she was. I let anybody else hold her. There was no connection, from day one, with her. So it was a completely different experience.

—Lindsey