Postpartum Depression Doesn’t Always Happen Right After Birth: Why Many Moms Feel Worse Years Later (and How Therapy in Texas Can Help)

If you’re a mom who thought you’d feel “back to normal” by now—but instead you feel more tired, more irritable, more numb, or more overwhelmed than ever—you’re not failing (and you aren't alone).

You might be experiencing postpartum depression (PPD) or maternal depression that’s showing up later than people expect.

Most people think depression in motherhood happens right after delivery. But research tells a different story: mothers may be more likely to experience depressive symptoms at four years postpartum than at any point during the first year after childbirth.

Postpartum Depression Can Show Up Years Later

A major Australian study followed over 1,500 women from pregnancy through 4 years postpartum. The researchers measured depressive symptoms using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS).

What they found (and why it matters)

• Depressive symptoms were more common at 4 years postpartum (14.5%) than at any point in the first year.

• Nearly 1 in 3 women experienced depressive symptoms at least once in the first 4 years after giving birth.

• Women who had only one child at 4 years postpartum were significantly more likely to report depressive symptoms than moms with more children (22.9% vs. 11.3%).

So if you’re several years into parenting and quietly thinking:

“Why is this harder now than when my baby was little?”

There’s a real reason. You may be in a chapter of motherhood where the emotional load catches up—and the world is giving you less support, not more.

Why Postpartum Depression Gets Missed After the First Year

Most postpartum care focuses on the first weeks and months. After that, moms are often expected to “bounce back” and keep moving.

But later-onset or persistent maternal depression is common because:

• Sleep deprivation becomes chronic

• Mental load increases (work, parenting, schedules, schooling, emotional labor)

• Identity shifts deepen (loss of self, body changes, relationship changes)

• Support often fades after infancy

• Stress accumulates quietly until something breaks

• The marital/partnership relationship continues continued stressors throughout the adjustment to becomign parents

Signs of Maternal Depression (Even Years After Birth)

Postpartum and maternal depression doesn't look how the media portrays it.

It can show up as:

• irritability or rage (snapping fast, feeling overstimulated)

• numbness, disconnection, or going through the motions

• anxiety spirals, intrusive thoughts, or constant dread

• resentment, shutdown, or “I want to run away” fantasies

• loss of interest in things that used to feel like you or make you feel happy

• feeling like a bad mom even when you’re doing everything

• guilt for not enjoying motherhood the way you “should”

• trouble bonding (even if your child is older)

Risk Factors for Maternal Depression

One of the biggest predictors of later depression is having symptoms during pregnancy or the first year postpartum. 

If you had a prior diagnosis of postpartum depression (which is diagnosed in the first few weeks of motherhood-12 months after birth) then you may have a higher liklihood that you could have maternal depression. Additionally, other factors linked to maternal depressive symptoms later on include stressful life events and lower support.

Therapy becomes especially important if you’ve experienced:

• past depression or anxiety

• fertility stress, pregnancy complications, or birth trauma

• relationship strain after becoming parents

• major transitions (moving, career changes, financial stress)

• feeling isolated or unsupported in motherhood

• feeling like you aren't yourself

Therapy for Postpartum Depression in Texas: What Helps

If you’re looking for postpartum depression therapy in Texas, here’s what treatment can actually look like.

Therapy for PPD is not about telling you to “practice gratitude” when you’re drowning.

It’s about helping you:

• feel steadier in your body

• reduce overwhelm and constant mental noise

• Rebuild identity and self-trust

• improve sleep coping and nervous system regulation

• process trauma (including birth trauma or reproductive loss)

• strengthen relationship, suppor,t and communication

• feel like you again—without abandoning the mom you’ve become

Many people improve with evidence-based treatment, and therapy is often a core part of recovery. Perinatal depression is recognized as a serious mood disorder—not a weakness (Carlson et al., 2025).

Ready for Postpartum Depression Therapy in Texas?

If you’re in Texas and looking for:

• postpartum depression therapy

• postpartum anxiety counseling

• therapy for new moms

• support for overwhelmed mothers

• help feeling like yourself again

…our team would be honored to support you.

You deserve care that treats you like a whole person—not just a phase of motherhood.

Next step: Schedule a free 15 minute consultation or first appointment, and we’ll help you find the right fit. Simply click here, and start your therapy journey today!

References:

Carlson, K., Mughal, S., Azhar, Y., et al. (2025). Perinatal depression. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519070

MGH Center for Women’s Mental Health. (2014, June 11). Maternal depression persists beyond the postpartum period. MGH Center for Women’s Mental Health. https://womensmentalhealth.org/posts/maternal-depression-persists-beyond-postpartum-period/

Torjesen, I. (2014). New mothers are most likely to be depressed four years after giving birth. BMJ, 348, g3446. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.g3446