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Postpartum Depression & Anxiety: You Don't Have to Go Through It Alone

By Hila Teller, LCSW · Licensed Clinical Social Worker · Los Altos, CA

You just had a baby. Everyone around you seems to expect that you should be glowing, grateful, and blissful. But inside, you feel overwhelmed, sad, anxious, or strangely disconnected from your baby or yourself. You wonder if something is wrong with you.

There isn't. What you may be experiencing is postpartum depression or postpartum anxiety — and it's far more common than the silence around it suggests. Up to 1 in 5 new mothers experience a perinatal mood disorder. You are not alone, and you are not failing.

Baby Blues vs. Postpartum Depression

It's normal to have a few difficult days after delivery — mood swings, tearfulness, and exhaustion are common in the first two weeks as hormones shift. This is called the "baby blues" and typically resolves on its own.

Postpartum depression is different. It lasts longer, feels more intense, and often requires support to resolve. Signs include:

• Persistent sadness or emptiness that doesn't lift
• Feeling detached from your baby or unable to bond
• Intense anxiety or intrusive thoughts
• Difficulty sleeping even when the baby sleeps
• Feeling like a bad mother or that everyone would be better off without you
• Rage, irritability, or feeling out of control
• Loss of interest in things you used to enjoy

You Are Not a Bad Mother for Feeling This Way

One of the most painful aspects of postpartum depression is the shame. You feel like you should be happy, and your distress becomes one more thing to hide. But postpartum depression is a medical condition with biological roots — not a reflection of your love for your baby or your capacity as a parent.

How Therapy Helps

Therapy during the postpartum period offers a space to be honest about how you're really feeling — without performance, without judgment. We work through the anxiety, process the identity shift of new parenthood, address any trauma from birth, and help you find your footing as a mother.

If you experienced difficult pregnancies, a history of trauma, or previous mental health challenges, the postpartum period can bring those things to the surface. Having support can make an enormous difference.