The weeks and months after having a baby can be disorienting. Sleep changes. Your days stop feeling predictable. Even when everything appears to be going well from the outside, you may not feel like yourself.
Postpartum depression and anxiety are both treatable. At Deep Centered Mental Health, our therapists and psychiatric providers work with people across Texas who are struggling during pregnancy and after childbirth. Care is available in person and through online therapy and psychiatry statewide.
Baby Blues Or Postpartum Depression?
It is common to feel more emotional in the days after giving birth. You may cry more easily or feel overwhelmed in ways that surprise you. For many people, those early changes begin to ease within a couple of weeks.
Postpartum depression tends to linger and can start affecting how you move through the day.
You may notice that things you normally care about no longer feel meaningful. Getting through basic tasks can take much more effort than usual. Feelings of disconnection from yourself or your baby can also happen, sometimes alongside intense guilt or doubts about whether you’re doing anything right.
Postpartum depression also does not always begin right away. Symptoms can develop weeks or months after childbirth, which is part of why they can be easy to dismiss.
What Postpartum Anxiety Can Feel Like
Some worry is expected when you are caring for a newborn. Postpartum anxiety goes beyond that.
The worry may feel relentless even when there is no immediate problem to solve. You may find yourself checking on your baby repeatedly or imagining something going wrong and struggling to let the thought go.
Anxiety can also show up physically. A racing heart or constant tension can make it hard to rest, even when you finally have the opportunity to sleep.
For someone already exhausted, it can be difficult to tell where sleep deprivation ends and anxiety begins. Pay attention to how long these feelings persist and how much they are interfering with your day.
Why It Can Be Hard to Recognize
The postpartum period tends to put the baby’s needs at the center of everything.
Medical appointments focus heavily on the baby’s health. Friends and family may ask about feeding or sleep before they ask how you are doing. Even when someone does ask, it can be difficult to explain that something feels wrong.
There can also be pressure to feel happy or grateful after having a baby. If that is not how you feel, depression or anxiety can come with an added layer of shame.
There isn’t one particular way postpartum depression is supposed to look. If your emotional state feels far from your usual baseline or is making everyday life harder, that is enough reason to talk with someone.
How Treatment Can Help
Postpartum therapy can give you a private place to say what is actually going on without worrying about how it sounds. It can also help you work through the changes that often come with this period, including shifts in identity, strain in relationships or fears that are difficult to shut off.
For some patients, psychiatry and medication management is also appropriate. A psychiatric provider can evaluate your symptoms and talk with you about medication when it makes sense clinically. If you are breastfeeding or have other medical considerations, those should be part of that conversation.
At Deep Centered Mental Health, therapy and psychiatry are available within the same practice. When both are part of your treatment, your providers can work from the same understanding of what you are going through.
When Is It Time to Reach Out?
You can reach out before things become unbearable. If depression or anxiety is not improving, you’re having trouble functioning the way you normally would, or you’re spending much of the day trying to manage how bad you feel, it’s worth talking with a mental health professional.
Certain symptoms require immediate medical attention. Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, severe confusion, hallucinations or feeling disconnected from reality can be signs of postpartum psychosis, which is a medical emergency.
Postpartum Mental Health Care Across Texas
Deep Centered Mental Health offers in-person care at locations across Texas, including the Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio areas. Telehealth is also available statewide, which can make it easier to get care without adding another trip out of the house.
We are in-network with many major insurance plans. Our team can help you understand your coverage when you contact us.
Getting Started
If you’ve been wondering whether what you’re feeling is something you should talk to someone about, reach out. We can help you figure out what comes next.
You can schedule an appointment online or call Deep Centered Mental Health at (512) 956-6463. We’ll help you find a provider and get started.
