Q I haven't been able to stop crying since day 3 after giving birth. How can I tell whether this is the baby blues or postpartum depression?
A The baby blues are temporary mood swings that begin 2 to 4 days after childbirth and subside on their own within two weeks. If sadness and listlessness continue beyond two weeks and daily life is difficult, it should be considered postpartum depression.
Detailed Answer
The baby blues are temporary mood swings that appear around 2 to 4 days after childbirth when female hormones drop sharply, and about 80% of new mothers experience them. You may suddenly feel like crying or your mood may swing up and down, but your love for the baby remains intact, and it usually improves on its own within two weeks. Postpartum depression, on the other hand, lasts two weeks or more and in severe cases up to a year after childbirth, with persistent sadness, a sense of hopelessness, extreme fatigue, sleep disturbances, indifference toward or excessive worry about the baby, guilt, and thoughts of self-harm. If the baby blues do not improve after two weeks or the symptoms worsen, professional consultation is needed.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
The criteria for distinguishing the two states in Korean medicine are similar. We regard the first few days right after childbirth as a natural response to extreme depletion of qi and blood, and recommend rest and nourishment. However, if the anxiety, sadness, and insomnia of the Heart (sim) persist beyond two weeks, we view it as a state requiring treatment that settles the Heart-spirit (simsin), beyond simply recovering from deficiency-fatigue (heoro).
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