What are the baby blues?

Last reviewed June 19, 2026 by Dr. Sapna Jadhav, General Physician. Sources from ACOG, NHS, Mayo Clinic, CDC, NICE, NIH, Cochrane, and peer-reviewed journals.

Bottom lineThe baby blues are common, short-lived mood changes - weepiness, irritability, anxiety, feeling overwhelmed - that affect most new mothers, starting a few days after birth and easing within about two weeks.

The baby blues are short-lived mood changes that affect most new mothers in the first days after birth. You might feel weepy, irritable, anxious, or overwhelmed, often without a clear reason. They're very common and usually pass on their own.

What they feel like

• Crying easily, or for no obvious reason
• Mood swings, irritability, or feeling restless
• Anxiety and feeling overwhelmed
• Trouble sleeping even when the baby sleeps

Why they happen

A sharp drop in pregnancy hormones after birth, combined with exhaustion, physical recovery, and the huge adjustment to caring for a newborn, drives these feelings. Up to about 80% of new mothers experience them.

How long they last

The baby blues typically start 2-3 days after birth and ease within about two weeks without treatment. Rest, support, and being kind to yourself help.

When it's more than the blues

If low mood, anxiety, or hopelessness lasts beyond two weeks, gets worse, or stops you functioning, it may be postpartum depression or anxiety - which are treatable. Seek help sooner if you have any thoughts of harming yourself or your baby.

Femora helps you track your mood in the early weeks so you can notice if it isn't lifting.

If it lasts longer: signs of postpartum depression