Includes self-test

After giving birth: severe depression instead of maternal happiness

Postpartum depression instead of joy over the new baby.(Bild: stock.adobe.com)

After giving birth, many things change and don't always turn out the way a mother had imagined. Currently, a tragedy involving a dead baby on the Burgenland border is shocking the nation. If the demands become too great and the conflicts too intense, mental illness can set in. The problems range from harmless "baby blues" to depression or even psychosis. How to recognize the signs – including a self-test.

Pregnancy and childbirth represent a drastic change in a woman's life and usually a rollercoaster of emotions. Not every new mother finds the transition to this phase of life easy. Instead of joy and bliss over the newborn, sadness and severe mood swings can set in. The well-known "baby blues" (also known as the weeping days) affect up to 80 percent of mothers. But what is the difference between this and postpartum depression? How can the symptoms be recognized as early as possible, and when should you definitely seek help?