baby blue

noun

1

: a pale blue

2

baby blues plural : blue eyes

She's a zaftig woman, with long red hair and a pale rose complexion setting off those baby blues.

—Michele Kort

3

baby blues plural in form but singular or plural in construction : a feeling of sadness that is experienced by a woman shortly after giving birth, that is typically accompanied by other symptoms (such as mood swings, crying spells, and insomnia), and that usually lasts less than two weeks : postpartum blues

Baby blues isn't an illness or even a proper psychiatric diagnosis, it is simply a way that people have tried to describe unpleasant feelings that occur shortly after having a baby and tend to resolve in a few days.

—Jackie Ganley

—usually used with the

She suffered a case of the baby blues for a few days after having the baby.

compare postpartum depression

Examples of baby blue in a Sentence

She gazed into his baby blues.

She had a bad case of the baby blues.

Recent Examples on the Web

This baby blue shade screams sunny-day chic, while the apricot is classy and comfy for a business trip. —Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2026

To soften the design and add subtle contrast, accentuate the area with baby blue cushions or pillows on your patio furniture. —Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 7 Apr. 2026

Princess Charlotte slipped into her coat created by Catherine Walker in a hazelnut color with chestnut details from which a baby blue Self-Portrait pleated skirt was visible. —Giorgia Olivieri, Vanity Fair, 6 Apr. 2026

Meanwhile, Braun opted for a baby blue sweatshirt, dark tan pants, and black-rimmed glasses for the Easter outing. —Lara Walsh, InStyle, 6 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for baby blue

• accrue
• ado
• ainu
• aircrew
• airscrew
• anew
• askew
• baboo
• babu
• bamboo
• beaucoup
• bijou