Women’s Mental Health & Postpartum Psychiatry

Baby blues or postpartum depression — what’s the difference?

The baby blues affects a large majority of new mothers, with estimates ranging from 30 to 80 percent. It typically begins within the first ten days after delivery, peaks around the third to fifth day, and is characterised by mood swings, tearfulness, irritability and anxiety. It is closely tied to the rapid drop in oestrogen and progesterone levels that follows birth, combined with the physical and emotional demands of caring for a newborn. The baby blues passes on its own within a few days and does not significantly interfere with daily functioning.

Postpartum depression is different in both severity and duration. It follows around one in seven deliveries, making it the most common medical complication of childbirth. The sadness does not lift. Untreated episodes can last several weeks to several months, and about a third extend beyond the first year of the baby’s life. When depression begins during pregnancy and continues after delivery, it is called perinatal depression.

The symptoms of postpartum depression often look similar to what one might expect from caring for a new baby: tiredness, difficulty sleeping, changes in appetite and stronger emotional reactions. This similarity is one reason it so often goes unrecognised. If those feelings last beyond two weeks or interfere with daily life and care for the baby, a professional evaluation is important.

What is postpartum anxiety?

Research suggests that perinatal anxiety disorders may actually be more common than postpartum depression, and a history of anxiety is a stronger predictor of postnatal depression than a history of depression itself. Yet anxiety in new and expecting mothers is frequently under-screened and undertreated.

Women with postpartum anxiety feel constantly on edge rather than sad. The presentation can include racing thoughts about the baby’s safety, difficulty resting even when the baby sleeps, hypervigilance, and physical symptoms like a racing heart or shortness of breath. Some women experience intrusive, unwanted thoughts about harm coming to the baby. These are symptoms of an anxiety disorder, not signs of being a bad mother, and they are treatable.

Anxiety during pregnancy also matters, not only after delivery. High levels of anxiety during the antenatal period have been associated with preterm delivery, low birthweight and complications during labour. Recognising and treating anxiety early, at any stage of the perinatal period, leads to better outcomes for both mother and baby.

What is postpartum psychosis?

Postpartum psychosis is rare but serious. It typically begins within the first two weeks after delivery and can involve hallucinations, paranoia, confusion, or a sudden and dramatic change in behaviour. Dr. Browne has dedicated specific research to postpartum psychosis and understands what it looks like clinically. Doxa Renewal Clinic is an outpatient practice and is not equipped to manage psychiatric emergencies. If you or someone you love is showing signs of a break from reality in the postpartum period, call 911 or contact your OB/GYN immediately.

Perinatal mental health — more than just postpartum

The term perinatal mental health refers to the range of mental health conditions that can occur during pregnancy and in the period following birth, from conception through to the end of the first year after delivery. It includes depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, grief following pregnancy loss, and the emotional challenges of planning for a baby or going through fertility treatment.

Many women suffer through these experiences silently because they do not realise that psychiatric care applies before the baby arrives, or because they assume their distress is a normal part of pregnancy. Often it is not. Maternal depression and anxiety during pregnancy have been associated with effects on fetal development, birth outcomes and the infant’s neurological status. Addressing mental health across the full perinatal period matters not only for the mother but for the baby and the whole family.

What Dr. Browne treats

Dr. Browne provides psychiatric evaluation and medication management for women experiencing postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, postpartum psychosis, depression during pregnancy, grief and anxiety related to planning for a baby or fertility treatment, pregnancy and infant loss, PMDD, and the mood and cognitive changes that accompany perimenopause and menopause.

She is available to work directly with your OB/GYN to make sure any treatment plan works across both practices, including medication management for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, which requires specialised training to do safely.

Is postpartum depression treatable?

Yes. The majority of women who receive appropriate treatment improve significantly. The two main approaches are counselling and medication, and research consistently shows a combined approach produces the largest improvement. Counselling approaches such as cognitive-behavioural therapy and interpersonal therapy have both been shown to be effective for mild to moderate postpartum depression. For more severe or persistent cases, specialist psychiatric evaluation is recommended.

A significant barrier to getting help is that many women are reluctant to disclose how they are feeling. Some do not realise they have postpartum depression. Others worry about the stigma of a mental health diagnosis or have concerns about treatment while breastfeeding. These are all conversations worth having with a psychiatrist who specialises in this area, rather than reasons to delay care. Untreated postpartum depression affects the mother’s health, the baby’s development and the whole family. Early treatment changes outcomes.

When should you reach out?

Doxa Renewal Clinic is an outpatient practice. If you are having thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, please call 911 or your OB/GYN right away — do not wait for an appointment.

For everything else — persistent sadness, panic attacks, difficulty bonding, intrusive thoughts, or anxiety that won’t let you rest — if it has been more than two weeks and it is not getting better, reach out to us. You do not need a referral to see Dr. Browne. She sees patients from across Mississippi, including Jackson, Madison, and Ridgeland, MS.