分娩

产褥期

一过性产后忧郁
除了有上述的轻微烦恼以外，许多产妇会经历轻度的忧郁(产后忧郁，post partum despression)。她们变得过度敏感、易怒和无缘无故地哭泣。这种意外的精神症状并没有引起应有的重视。许多人开玩笑地说，那是“婴儿抑郁症”（the baby blues）。可是，这却不是一件开玩笑的事情。分娩中疲惫的身体，加之作为母亲的新角色要求，可能一度会让产妇感到有过度的精神压力，她们可能忽然觉得自己没有为担此任做好各种准备。无论是否意识得到，毕竟担当母亲角色是人生中的一个真正的转折点，在养育孩子的过程中，带有太多的各种各样的不确定因素。处于这种状态下的产妇，可以从家庭成员那里得到很大的帮助，尤其得到来自于孩子父亲那里的帮助更为重要。这确实是男女双方彼此理解的又一次绝好的机会，相互的体贴尤为珍贵。

Birth

The Period After Delivery

Temporary Depression
In addition to these minor annoyances, many women experience a mild depression (post partum despression). They become overly sensitive, irritable, and may cry without any apparent reason. This kind of unexpected despair has not always been taken as seriously as it should. Many people speak jokingly of "the baby blues." However, there is nothing funny about it. The physical strain of giving birth together with the demands of the new role as mother may, for a while, seem to overwhelm a woman who suddenly feels that she is unprepared for the task. After all, whether recognized or not, becoming a parent is a genuine crisis in everyone's life. Still, like any other crisis, it carries great possibilities for growth. In this situation, a woman can be helped a great deal by her family, and particularly by the baby's father. It is another of those occasions when mutual understanding between man and woman is invaluable.