Why does my friend behave weirdly after delivery?

Question

Hi doctor,

My childhood friend just gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. She is 25 years old. She had always been a happy-go-lucky girl and had the most adorable pregnancy ever. Her delivery lasted quite too long,almost a day. She was mostly asleep afterward. When she woke up, she was completely different from the one who had entered the delivery room. It has been three weeks now, and she is showing peculiar signs, like being too afraid of something and feeling afraid to talk. Her husband tries to help, but she refuses to take any kind of approach. Apparently, she has been talking to her mother, but her mum died a decade ago. What can we do to help her? We seem to be out of our wits with no way to help her out. Please help.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I can understand your concern.

Thank you for taking help from a psychiatrist. I can understand your problem and your concern for your friend. She may have postpartum psychosis. You need emergency management for it. You must take her to the nearest psychiatrist as early as you can. She may have auditory hallucinations (voices of her mother) and delusions. She may harm herself as well as her baby. Do not let her alone with the baby.

I hope you get my point. Please let me know if you need some help.

Thank you.