post partum psychosis

Postpartum psychosis is rare. It happens in up to 4 new mothers out of every 1,000 births. It usually begins in the first 2 weeks after childbirth. It is a medical emergency. Women who have bipolar disorder or another mental health condition called schizoaffective disorder have a higher risk of postpartum psychosis. Symptoms may include:

• Seeing or hearing things that aren’t there
• Feeling confused most of the time
• Having rapid mood swings within several minutes (for example, crying hysterically, then laughing a lot, followed by extreme sadness)
• Trying to hurt yourself or your baby
• Paranoia (thinking that others are focused on harming you)
• Restlessness or agitation
• Behaving recklessly or in a way that is not normal for you