Aim. The research aimed to figure out the psychological background of postpartum depression, especially in the context of earlier mother's relations and the relation between postpartum depression and mother-child bonding. Methods. Research tools used were as follows: Parental Bonding Instrument, Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire, Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale and demographic questionnaire. Research was carried out on 150 women who had children younger than 1 year old. The mean child age was 24,47 week, with half of mothers having children younger than 24 weeks. Results. The conducted analysis showed that care in the internal image of the mother assessed on the basis of Parental Bonding Instrument reduces the risk of postpartum depression and is associated with more optimal results concerning the bonding between mother and infant. The elevated results in Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale were associated with the higher risk of child abuse. The care in the internal image of the young mother's mother maintains it's protective function despite the fact of postpartum depression occurrence. Conclusions. The results of the research show psychological and individual correlates of postpartum depression. They also inspire further researches: it may be hypothesized that in treatment of postpartum depression the possibility of creating the therapeutic relation with the psychiatrist, psychotherapist, nurse or the group of mothers, which could be experienced ad caring and supporting, not controlling can have the positive effects. The possibility of creating this type of caring relation in the beginning of childrearing may strengthen developing motherhood identity in young mothers.