In about 20 percent of women, postpartum blues transform into depression. The onset of postpartum depression usually comes two to eight weeks after the birth of the baby, and can last two weeks to a year or longer. Symptoms include crying, unremitting despair, insomnia, lack of interest in ordinary activities, loss of appetite, anxiety, anger, and suicidal urges. Needless to say, postpartum depression is a different kettle of fish than the baby blues. If untreated, the depression can deepen and cause terrible problems for the mother, the baby and the father.
Treatment often involves medication and therapy.
Although discussions of postpartum blues usually are geared toward women, many men also get the blues after the birth of their child. In contrast to mothers, however, new fathers' blues are not hormonally based. Rather, the new-father blues are more commonly related to feeling left out because of the amount of attention his wife is giving to their newborn, worries about being able to provide adequately for his suddenly larger family, or difficulty coming to terms with the reality of his changing life. Although the symptoms of the new-father blues can be much the same as those experienced by women, including sadness, anxiety, anger, and mood swings, fathers often react to those feelings somewhat differently. These reactions tend to make things worse.