Having a child can be a very joyous time in a woman's life. But sometimes, that joy can be overshadowed by darker feelings that creep in after the baby's birth.

That's what a Mercer County mom recently experienced after the birth of her first child last July.

The Jamestown woman, who asked to remain anonymous, had suffered three previous miscarriages before her son was born. She and her husband had been trying to have a baby since 1999.

"I wanted to breast feed," she said. "I started in the hospital. When I got home, it seemed like he wanted to eat all the time. He was not getting full, and he was fussy."

She had trouble breast-feeding the baby because he wasn't attaching and it hurt when she fed him. When she switched to a breast milk pump, the milk on her left side dried up and not much was coming on her right side.

"That's when I decided to quit. That was the hardest thing I could do. I thought, I gave him two weeks. That was better than nothing," she said.

In addition to her troubles with breast feeding, she also had to keep up with housework in the middle of an August heat wave. She had no appetite and some bleeding. On top of everything else, she felt overwhelmed because she was at home all day instead of at work.

"I didn't think I was really depressed," she said. "I just knew it hurt when I was breast feeding. Then not getting it with the pump ... supplying him with bottles, trying to get ahead ... I wasn't able to."

She called her obstetrician-gynecologist. When she got to the office, she was crying before she even saw the doctor.

Her doctor asked if she wanted to hurt the baby or herself. She said no.

"I sometimes would get frustrated, but I didn't feel like I wanted to run away or hurt him," she said. "I had waited so long."

Two months after her baby was born, she started to feel better.

"I think I've gotten a lot better. I've noticed a big difference ... now it's just the stress of going back to work," she said.

Post-partum depression has been thrust into the media spotlight in recent months, especially after Texas mother Andrea Yates murdered her five children last summer. Fortunately, most cases are not so extreme.

About 10 percent of women experience post-partum depression after giving birth, said Dr. Diane Mrava, a Hermitage obstetrician-gynecologist. Patients usually start showing signs of it within the first six months after delivery, usually in the second or third month.

Signs and symptoms of post-partum depression are similar to other kinds of depression, including irritability, mood swings and feelings of sadness. Symptoms may also include change in appetite, change in sleep patterns, lack of pleasure, fears about taking care of the baby and thoughts about hurting yourself or the baby.

Women who have a history of post-partum depression have a 30 to 50 percent risk of developing it again, and women who suffer from other depression have a 20 to 40 percent chance of developing it. Women over age 40 and women who had difficult pregnancies are also at higher risk.

Post-partum depression is different from the "baby blues," which usually crop up the first week after delivery and are gone by the second week. The blues usually don't require special treatment and may be caused by hormonal changes after pregnancy, Dr. Mrava said.

Post-partum depression is different still from post-partum psychosis.

"Psychosis occurs in about one out of 1,000," said Audrey Bakuhn, a counselor with Community Counseling Center of Mercer County. "It is rare, but it is tragic."

By definition, psychosis leads patients to have hallucinations or delusions. If left untreated, women suffering from post-partum psychosis could act on those delusions, Ms. Bakuhn said.

"Many can have psychosis but don't hurt themselves or the child because they get treated quickly," Ms. Bakuhn said.

The good news is that post-partum depression can be treated. Women suffering from it may be prescribed anti-depressants. Ms. Bakuhn said that studies have shown some of these medications are safe for nursing mothers. Mild symptoms can be resolved without medication.

"The main thing that we want to stress is that it's very treatable," Ms. Bakuhn said. "The less stigma that's attached, the easier it is for the mother to seek help."

Family members' awareness is also a big factor in recognizing and treating post-partum depression. Adjusting to being a mother and having a new baby can be staggering.

Kim Lombardi, director of the UPMC Horizon Womancare Center, said women spend about 24 to 48 hours in the hospital after giving birth, down from three or four days in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

In that period of time, "Their milk usually isn't in, and changes that occur with a newborn haven't occurred," Ms. Lombardi said. "In 72 hours you're home with the baby."

And, as Ms. Bakuhn said, "Babies don't come with manuals."

"Just because no one in the family had (post-partum depression) doesn't mean it won't occur," Ms. Bakuhn said.

Support and help from family and friends can help a new mother through post-partum depression.

"Having a good support system is good for the blues or depression," Dr. Mrava said.