Most new moms have heard of the âbaby blues,â the term often used for postpartum depression, which causes anxiety and feelings of intense sadness. But it turns out there is a little-known opposite condition too, called the âbaby pinks.â
The âbaby pinksâ is marked by extreme euphoria or mild mania after the birth of a baby. The mother will feel over-energized and perhaps describe a feeling of not needing sleep. She might talk too fast and exhibit impulsive or unusual behaviour, as well as a decreased ability to concentrate.
While being overly happy might not sound as dangerous as overly depressed, the âbaby pinksâ come with their own risks.
Maya Hammer, a Toronto-based psychotherapist who specializes in postpartum mental health, says in some women, the condition, which has the clinical name of âhypomania,â can lead to more intense mental illness.
âIf it tips into a more severe illness -- so a bipolar disorder which includes hypomania and depression, or full-blown mania and depression -- then it becomes so that the woman can no longer function and canât take care of herself or her baby,â she told CTVâs Canada AM Wednesday.
The âbaby pinksâ typically set in immediately after birth and can last for six to eight weeks. Itâs not clear how common the condition is, though as many as one in 10 new mothers can experience it.
Women with a history of mood disorders appear to be at higher risk.
In many women, the condition eventually clears up. But for others, itâs the beginning of a long battle with postpartum bipolar disorder, says Hammer.
âSo I like to think of it as a âpink flagâ or warning that it could lead to a more severe mental illness,â she says.
Itâs not certain what triggers mental illness during pregnancy and childbirth, Hammer says, though itâs acknowledged that pregnancy brings plenty of physiological and hormonal changes.
âThen thereâs also the psycho-social factors that happen during pregnancy and postpartum, such as the demands of taking care of a baby and disrupted sleep,â she says.
The problem with the âbaby pinksâ is that they can be hard to distinguish from just the usual âglowâ of new motherhood â and even harder for the mother herself to spot it.
âFamily members or partners will notice a woman is showing unusual or weird behaviour,â Hammer says. âShe herself might not notice because sheâs feeling great and sheâs able to do a lot. So itâs really important for partners and family members to observe her behaviour.â
Hammer adds that women who think they have developed an unusual amount of euphoria should talk to their doctors about it.
âEspecially if a woman has a personal or family history of mental illness, itâs important to seek care immediately, to get in touch with their family doctor and get a referral to a psychiatrist, to make sure sheâs treated properly so that it doesnât develop into a full-blown mental illness.â