Postnatal Depression
What do we know?
Postnatal depression (PND) is a common illness which can affect mothers and fathers after the birth of their baby. NHS figures show it can affect more than 1 in 10 women within a year of the birth.
It often starts in the first one or two months after a baby is born. However, it can start at any time and sometimes it may even start in pregnancy.
PND can range in severity from a woman needing extra support from friends and family - to requiring treatment in a specialist mental health facility. It is incredibly important that you seek help quickly if you think you might be depressed.
Symptoms
It is normal to feel high and low emotions in the days and weeks after your baby is born. Labour is a physical trauma for your body and the flood of hormones after your baby is born will leave you feeling very emotional. Couple this with sleep deprivation and any other issues such as establishing breastfeeding and it’s going to leave you feeling a bit wrung out.
But if you find you are feeling persistently low then it could be more than so-called ‘baby blues’ and you may have PND
Other symptoms include:
Lack of enjoyment or interest in the wider world
Trouble sleeping at night but feeling tired all of the time
Anxiety which can be overwhelming
Problems bonding with your baby
Frightening thoughts which could involve hurting your baby
Loss of appetite
Irritability with family and friends
Avoiding socialising or seeing other people.
It may take some time to realise you have PND as some of the symptoms can come on gradually.
Causes
There may not be one single cause of PND and it could be a combination of factors. However, there are a few triggers which could make you more likely to have it:
Previous mental health problems, including depression
Depression or anxiety during pregnancy
Lack of support from your family
A traumatic event which could include the labour, a death of someone close to you, job loss
Experiencing abuse such as domestic violence
Treatment
Do not struggle alone if you think you have PND. Speak to your GP or health visitor as soon as possible. They have often been trained to spot the first signs of it or will be able to refer you to someone in your area who can help.
In some cases PND can be treated with self-help techniques such as getting support from family, taking time to rest, eating and sleeping well and making time to do things you enjoy.
Some women will need therapy such as cognitive behavioural therapy and if the depression is more severe, antidepressants may be prescribed.
Remember, it is not your fault if you have PND, it does not mean you are a bad parent or that your baby will be taken away from you.
Most women will recover within 3-6 months and many do not need any treatment. However, being depressed will affect your experience of being a new mother and in some cases it can affect your baby’s development. Always seek help.
Antidepressants
What is most important for your baby is that you are well and feel supported, even if this means having to stop breastfeeding.
Make sure you tell your GP if you are breastfeeding so they can check with the UK Drugs in Lactation Advisory Service if the pills are safe to take.
To decide whether to take antidepressants and continue breastfeeding you will want to weigh up how serious your illness is, the drug’s side-effects, the benefits of breastfeeding and whether your baby was premature or not.
How can partners/family help?
Listen to your partner and reassure her that she is supported and will get better.
Try not to use language such as ‘snap out of it’ or ‘just think positively’.
Help as much as you can with the baby and other practical things around the house such as cooking and laundry.
Take any worrying comments or behaviour seriously and seek help immediately.
Make sure you also have support and someone to talk to.
Postpartum psychosis
Postpartum psychosis is a serious mental illness which needs urgent treatment. It occurs in around 1 in 1000 women and can start soon after a baby is born.
Symptoms include mood swings, hallucinations, delusions, a low mood and behaving in a way which is out of character.
See a GP as soon as possible or call 111 if you can’t get an appointment. Go to A&E or ring 999 if you think a person is at risk of imminent harm. Women who have postpartum psychosis may not realise they have it.
Most women who have this condition will need treatment in a specialist Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) where the baby stays with the mother.
Treatment may include antidepressants, antipsychotics and CBT.
It can take 6-12 months to recover from postpartum psychosis but most women do make a full recovery.
Help and support
