Postnatal Depression

Giving birth to your baby can be the most exhilarating experience of your life. But, what happens when soon after those feelings disappear, and they are replaced by feeling low, down and unable to cope.

Postnatal depression or PND is thought to affect between 5% and 20% of women following childbirth, so it’s not uncommon.

Following the birth of your baby you will more than likely be on an emotional high. The sheer fact that you are now holding your baby in your arms makes any labour worthwhile and you feel as if you can cope fine, despite being tired and the prospect of sleepless nights looms before you.

For some women, once this feeling subsides, it’s replaced by a feeling of being low, tearful and the thought that they may not be able to cope after all. This feeling occurs around the third to tenth day after birth and normally passes without any ill affect.

This is known as the ‘baby blues’. It’s very common, affecting up to 80% of women following childbirth, and is thought to have a link to the hormonal changes taking place in the body.

If this happens to you, try not to worry. You may need some reassurance and TLC. No medical treatment is needed for this. The best thing you can do is relax, sleep when your baby lets you and accept offers of help when they are made; don’t try to be ‘super mum’. Gradually you will feel more like yourself.

For a few women the symptoms become worse, or it could also be that they didn’t suffer from the ‘blues’ at all. If the tears and feelings of the blues do not improve within a couple of weeks of the birth of your baby, then it is worth seeking the advice of your health professional, whether that is your GP or health visitor. If you haven’t already, she may offer you an Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale to fill in. It’s fast to do with just 10 quick questions to answer. It will show how likely you are to be suffering from depression.

PND can show itself in many ways and is not dissimilar to depression. Women suffering from PND may be:

• lethargic
• tearful
• oversensitive
• anxious
• having irrational thoughts
• suffering from disturbed sleep

PND normally appears slowly. It’s a gradual process which means that at times it can be hard for the people around the mother to realise what is happening. People often assume that the mood is more to do with the normal reactions a new mother goes through when she is recovering from childbirth.

PND can affect anybody. It doesn’t matter who you are, how old you are or whether you have had children before. Although, there is some evidence that you are more at risk if you have a family history of depression or have been depressed yourself. One other possible risk factor is the absence of a relationship or a poor relationship with the father.

If you find that you are suffering from any of the above symptoms, then please be honest about it with the people around you. There is no stigma attached to it. Don’t be embarrassed. Accept all the help that people will give you, there is no need to go through anything alone. If you are having trouble speaking to relatives/friends, then contact one of the voluntary groups for some support. It’s really important to let your health professional know what is happening so that they can step in where they need to.

If you find that you are suffering from any of the above symptoms, then please be honest about it with the people around you. There is no stigma attached to it. Don’t be embarrassed. Accept all the help that people will give you, there is no need to go through anything alone. If you are having trouble speaking to relatives/friends, then contact one of the voluntary groups for some support. It’s really important to let your health professional know what is happening so that they can step in where they need to.

You will get better and be able to enjoy your life with your baby.

Claire Parry RM November 2006