Maternal Warning Signs
It's important to be mindful of warning signs that may lead to serious health complications during pregnancy or after giving birth. Talk with your health care provider immediately about any concerns you may have.
Physical Warning Signs:
- Headaches that will not go away
- Dizziness or fainting
- Changes in vision
- Fever of 100.4° F or higher
- Extreme swelling of hands or face
- Trouble breathing
- Chest pain or fast beating heart
- Severe nausea or throwing up
- Severe belly pain that does not go away
- Severe swelling, redness, or pain of your leg or arm
- Overwhelming tiredness
- Baby’s movement stopping or slowing during pregnancy
- Vaginal bleeding or fluid leaking during pregnancy
- Vaginal bleeding or discharge after pregnancy
Mental Health Warning Signs:
- Having a lasting sad, anxious, or “empty” mood
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
- Feelings of irritability or restlessness
- Crying more often than usual
- Feelings of anger
- Withdrawing from loved ones
- Feeling distant from your baby
- Worrying or feeling overly anxious
- Significant loss of energy
- Problems concentrating, recalling details, and making decisions
- Not getting pleasure from things you once did
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Overeating or loss of appetite
- Thinking about hurting yourself or your baby
- Aches or pains that do not get better with treatment
- Doubting your ability to care for your baby
Listen to your body. If you experience anything that concerns you, talk with your health care provider to ensure both you and your baby remain healthy.
Many new mothers experience the “baby blues,” that may include mood swings, crying spells, and feelings of worry, sadness, and tiredness. These feelings are mild and may go away on their own within one to two weeks. The temporary “baby blues” is different from postpartum depression. Postpartum depression is associated with more severe, long-lasting feelings of depression. Postpartum depression occurs in about 15% of women after childbirth.
Some women don’t tell anyone about their symptoms because they feel embarrassed or guilty about having these feelings at a time when they think they should be happy. It is good to talk about these feelings with trusted family members and loved ones to ensure you get the support you need while you heal from childbirth and bond with your baby.
Contact your health care provider right away if your symptoms last longer than two weeks. If your symptoms get worse, if you are having trouble caring for your baby, doing daily tasks, or if you have thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, contact your health care provider right away. The faster you receive treatment, the faster you and your baby can enjoy this special time.
If you or someone you know is in crisis or thinking of suicide, get help quickly.
- Call your doctor.
- Call 911 for emergency services or go to the nearest emergency room.
- Call the toll-free 24-hour hotline of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) or TTY: 1-800-799-4TTY (4889).
Symptoms of Postpartum Depression
The symptoms of postpartum depression are similar to symptoms for depression, but may also
include:
- Crying more often than usual
- Feelings of anger
- Withdrawing from loved ones
- Feeling numb or disconnected from your baby
- Not having any interest in the baby, not feeling connected to the baby, or feeling as if
your baby is someone else’s baby - Feeling guilty about not being a good mom or doubting your ability to care for the baby
- Worrying that you will hurt the baby
Treatment Options
Postpartum depression is treatable and most people get better with treatment. The most common types of treatment for postpartum depression are:
- Therapy. During therapy, you talk to a therapist, psychologist, or social worker to learn strategies to change how depression makes you think, feel, and act.
- Medicine. There are different types of medicines for postpartum depression. All of them must be prescribed by your health care provider.
These treatments can be used alone or together. Talk with your doctor or nurse about the benefits and risks of taking medicine to treat depression when you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
