What is the baby blues and how long does it last?
The baby blues (in Polish baby blues or smutek poporodowy) usually starts around the third day after birth. According to pacjent.gov.pl, the Polish government patient portal, 25 to 85 per cent of women go through it, so it is a very common experience, not a sign that you are doing something wrong. Symptoms are usually strongest on days 4-5.
- tearfulness, often for no obvious reason,
- irritability and quick mood swings,
- tension, anxiety and a feeling that you will not cope,
- tiredness, trouble concentrating and sleeping.
The baby blues does not need treatment. Rest, sleep whenever you can and support from those close to you all help. Low mood usually passes after about 10 days and, according to the NHS, within 2 weeks of the birth at the latest. If it lasts longer, gets worse or makes it hard to get through the day, it may be postnatal depression.
What are the symptoms of postnatal depression?
According to pacjent.gov.pl, postnatal depression (depresja poporodowa) affects 10 to 22 per cent of women after birth, and about half of them do not seek specialist help. It can start within a couple of weeks of the birth, but also in the second half of the baby's first year. The NHS adds that symptoms can begin during pregnancy.
- sadness and low mood for most of the day, over many days,
- loss of enjoyment and interest in things you used to like,
- constant tiredness and lack of energy,
- trouble sleeping, even when the baby is asleep and you have time to rest, or changes in appetite,
- guilt, worthlessness or a belief that you are a bad mother,
- strong anxiety, constant worry, panic attacks,
- difficulty making simple decisions and concentrating,
- difficulty bonding with your baby or avoiding them,
- thoughts of death or of harming yourself or your baby.
You do not need to have all of these symptoms to ask for help. Postnatal depression is an illness, not a weakness or a mother's fault. The WHO stresses that mental health conditions around birth can be treated effectively. A doctor or psychotherapist decides how. If you are breastfeeding, tell your doctor.
Baby blues vs postnatal depression: what is the difference?
The key differences are how long it lasts and how strong the symptoms are. The baby blues is short and mild, while depression lasts weeks or months and drains the strength you need for everyday tasks.
| Baby blues | Postnatal depression | |
|---|---|---|
| When it starts | Around day 3 after birth | Usually within a few weeks, but up to the end of the first year after birth, sometimes already in pregnancy |
| How long it lasts | About 10 days, 2 weeks at most | Weeks or months, and without help it can drag on |
| How common | 25-85 per cent of women | 10-22 per cent of women |
| Severity | Mild, mood changes, there are good moments too | Strong, sadness or anxiety are there almost all the time and make it hard to look after yourself and your baby |
| What to do | Rest, sleep, support from loved ones, keep an eye on your mood | Talk to a midwife, a GP (lekarz POZ) or a psychiatrist |
Postnatal anxiety and postpartum psychosis: when is it an emergency?
Sadness is not always the main feeling after birth. Sometimes anxiety comes first: constant worry about your baby's health or your own, tension, panic attacks, intrusive thoughts. The UK NICE guidelines point out that anxiety disorders in pregnancy and after birth are often missed. If anxiety does not go away and gets in the way of daily life, mention it just as you would sadness.
Postpartum psychosis is rare, affecting around 1 in 1,000 women, but it is an emergency. According to the NHS it usually starts suddenly within the first 2 weeks after birth, often within hours or days. It is more common in women with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, after postpartum psychosis in a previous pregnancy, or when similar illnesses run in the family.
- hallucinations, meaning seeing, hearing or feeling things that are not there,
- delusions, meaning beliefs or suspicions that have no basis in reality,
- strong agitation, racing thoughts, talking very fast, no need for sleep,
- several sleepless nights in a row, confusion, sudden mood swings,
- thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, or a feeling of losing control.
In this situation call 112 or go to the emergency department (SOR) or the admissions desk (izba przyjęć) of a hospital with a psychiatric ward. In an emergency no referral is needed. A woman with psychosis often does not realise she is ill, so her partner or someone close has to call for help.
Who is more at risk of postnatal depression?
Postnatal depression can affect any woman, including one with none of the risk factors. According to pacjent.gov.pl, the NHS and the WHO, the risk is higher with, among other things:
- depression or another mental health condition before pregnancy, during pregnancy or after a previous birth,
- postnatal depression in the family,
- lack of support, loneliness, relationship problems or abuse,
- stressful events in pregnancy, such as losing a job or bereavement,
- a previous loss of a baby or fertility problems,
- fear of birth, an unplanned pregnancy, a very young age,
- a difficult, long or complicated birth, or poor treatment by staff,
- a premature, unwell or very unsettled baby, twins or more,
- a prolonged baby blues,
- bipolar disorder, thyroid or hormonal disorders.
If anything on this list applies to you, tell your doctor or midwife during pregnancy. The Polish perinatal care standard lists previously diagnosed depression, suicide attempts, self-harm and mental health problems after a previous birth among the risk factors that whoever looks after your pregnancy should identify.
What is the Edinburgh scale and when is depression risk assessed?
The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS, in Polish skala edynburska) is a short questionnaire with 10 questions that you fill in yourself in about 5 minutes. The answers are about how you have felt over the last 7 days. According to pacjent.gov.pl, either the mother or her partner can complete it. A high score does not mean a diagnosis of depression, but it is a signal to discuss it with a specialist.
The Polish organisational standard of perinatal care (consolidated text, Dz.U. 2026 poz. 1140) provides for an assessment of the risk and severity of depression symptoms three times:
- between weeks 11 and 14 of pregnancy,
- between weeks 33 and 37 of pregnancy,
- after birth: the risk of postnatal depression in the 4th week after the baby is born, or earlier if mental health problems appear.
The standard does not name a specific tool, so your midwife or doctor may use the EPDS or another questionnaire. The UK NICE guidelines recommend the EPDS or the PHQ-9 questionnaire as part of a full assessment when a woman answers yes to questions about low mood. Do not wait for a scheduled assessment, though: if you feel unwell, say so at your next visit.
What does the POZ midwife do about your mood on home visits?
After the birth your POZ midwife (the primary care midwife funded by the public health fund, NFZ) makes at least four home visits (wizyty patronażowe). Under the perinatal care standard she checks not only your body but also your mental health during these visits. In particular she:
- assesses the risk of postnatal depression in week 4, or earlier if she sees worrying signs,
- assesses how much help you can count on from the baby's father or another close person,
- advises you on how to reduce and cope with stress,
- talks about how a mother's postnatal depression affects the baby's development,
- prepares a close person to support you and points out where they can get help themselves,
- if a problem is beyond her remit, tells you that you need to see a doctor or psychologist.
The standard also provides for psychological support for a woman after birth when her mental state calls for it, as well as after losing a baby or having a very premature baby. If you need more time to talk, you can also book a private midwife who will come to your home.
Where to get help with postnatal depression in Poland?
- Your POZ midwife and GP (lekarz POZ): the easiest first step, you can mention your mood at any visit.
- A psychiatrist on the NFZ: you do not need a referral.
- A psychologist or psychotherapist on the NFZ: you need a referral, which your GP can issue.
- A mental health centre (centrum zdrowia psychicznego, CZP): if there is one in your area, an adult can go to its intake and coordination point (punkt zgłoszeniowo-koordynacyjny) without a referral or appointment. In urgent cases an admission date is set within 72 hours.
- 800 70 2222: the Support Centre for Adults in Mental Crisis (Centrum Wsparcia), free and 24/7, also with a chat on centrumwsparcia.pl.
- 116 123: a helpline for adults in emotional crisis, free, anonymous and 24/7, with a chat on 116sos.pl.
- 112 or the emergency department of a hospital with a psychiatric ward: for thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, symptoms of psychosis or losing control.
Helplines offer support through conversation but do not replace seeing a doctor. If it is hard to make the call yourself, ask your partner or someone close to book an appointment and go with you.
How can a partner and family help?
- Take over some of the night feeds or wake-ups, the shopping and the housework, so she can sleep and rest.
- Listen without judging and do not brush it off with lines like “pull yourself together” or “other mums manage”.
- Watch whether low mood lasts longer than 2 weeks or gets worse. A partner can also fill in the EPDS.
- Encourage her to talk to a midwife or doctor, help book the appointment and look after the baby while she goes.
- With signs of psychosis or thoughts of harming herself or the baby, do not wait: call 112.
Partners may need help too. According to pacjent.gov.pl, postnatal depression can affect around 1 in 10 young fathers, most often when the baby is 3-6 months old and the mother has depression. It can show up as anger, withdrawal, constant tiredness, escaping into work or drinking too much.
