How Therapy During Postpartum Can Help
One of the most challenging things about postpartum is the isolation a mother feels, especially when she is experiencing postpartum depression or anxiety. Postpartum hormones and sleep deprivation can make you feel completely alone in your experience and feel that you are failing. One of the most powerful things that can change the postpartum experience is to be told that you are not alone.
One of the most challenging things about postpartum is the isolation a mother feels, especially when she is experiencing postpartum depression or anxiety. Postpartum hormones and sleep deprivation can make you feel completely alone in your experience and feel that you are failing. One of the most powerful things that can change the postpartum experience is to be told that you are not alone.
Just hearing someone else say, “Yes! I went through that too,” is more than enough to lift the mood and realize that what you are experiencing is not crushing failure but part of the human experience.
There are so many challenges in those first few months, and if you are experiencing them for the first time, it is overwhelming and all-consuming. There’s often an expectation that you will be rocking your newborn, singing them a song, and experiencing “newborn bliss.” And there might be some of that, but there might also be moments that bring lots of tears.
Tears because the baby wouldn’t latch, and you had to give them a bottle
Tears after a fight with your partner that felt absolutely devastating, and you think your marriage might be over before it ever truly started.
Tears when you find yourself wondering how something you wanted so badly can feel so incredibly hard.
Postpartum is not a static experience; it constantly shifts as the baby grows. As soon as you think you’re finally getting on your feet, a sleep regression occurs, or the baby starts teething, and you wonder, “How can I keep going like this?”
Therapy can be the soft place to land
Therapy can be a space where you don’t have to hold it all together.
A space where your experience is met with understanding, not judgment.
Maybe what you need is just someone to hear what you’re going through and say, “Yes, that sounds really hard.”
Maybe you need some tools to take with you to help you regulate in those moments of overwhelm.
Maybe you and your partner need a place to reconnect. To find a place where you can figure out roles and expectations, and to share about the tough moments.
You do not have to carry it all on your own.
No matter what your experience is, there is support, and there is understanding. There is a light at the end of the tunnel to improve your well-being and your postpartum experience.
I offer walk-and-talk therapy in the Livermore/Pleasanton area, which is one great way to pair your mental health and your physical recovery.
To find out more, visit the page for perinatal mental health.
Baby Blues vs. Postpartum Depression and Anxiety
Baby blues are a common experience in women postpartum. The challenge is that postpartum depression and anxiety are so similar to baby blues. It can be hard to differentiate between the two and know when it is something more. Baby blues are a common experience in women postpartum. The American Pregnancy Association (2026) states that 70-80% of mothers will experience negative feelings or mood swings after the birth of a baby. Baby blues will typically occur about four to five days after giving birth. The symptoms can include crying for no reason, irritability, anxiety, and mood changes.The challenge is that postpartum depression and anxiety are so similar to baby blues. It can be hard to differentiate between the two and know when it is something more. Baby blues should start to improve within a couple of weeks and should come and go throughout the day, according to the American Pregnancy Association (2026).Postpartum Support International (2026) shares that perinatal mental health disorders can begin any time during or after pregnancy, and postpartum mental health disorders can occur within one year after the birth of a baby.Symptoms of Prenatal and Postpartum Depression
Crying spellsSadndessFeelings of overwhelmIrritability or agitationAngerSleep disturbancesMood swingsApathyExhaustion
Unexpected symptoms of postpartum depression can include:
ManiaIntrusive thoughts and imagesProtectiveness or hypervigilanceSubstance dependence
Symptoms of Prenatal and Postpartum Anxiety
Panic attacksInsomniaLow appetiteOverwhelming fearsShaky, dizzy, or short of breath
You Don’t Have to Wait Until It Feels “Severe”
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms and they are bringing you distress, it is okay to get help and support. You do not have to suffer alone or in silence. You do not have to wait until things feel “bad enough.” If your pregnancy or postpartum experience is being impacted in a way that doesn’t feel right to you, that alone is a valid reason to reach out for support. Help is available, and you deserve to feel supported during this time.To get started with therapy, contact me for a free consultation
To learn more, visit the perinatal mental health services page
References American Pregnancy Association. (2026). Baby blues after pregnancy. https://americanpregnancy.orgPostpartum Support International. (2026). Perinatal mental health disorders. https://www.postpartum.net