Postnatal Depression

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Postnatal depression is a recognisable, treatable illness that usually occurs two to five days after having a baby and happens to between 10 and 15 percent of mothers. It is extremely common for women to feel emotional after giving birth and experience periods of tears and to feel down. It is also usual to find it difficult to sleep, eat and to generally be motivated about anything. It is common for the mother to think they don't love the baby the way they should, therefore feeling helpless, inadequate and unable to cope.

It is important for friends and family of the sufferer to understand that the illness is short-term and if the mother receives the right support then she will get better, however this can take time. The symptoms are similar to those of other depression disorders and can range from very mild cases of 'baby blues' to a severe problem called postnatal psychosis, however, both are forms of postnatal depression. Listed below are common symptoms the mother will suffer from during the period of depression.

Symptoms:

Persistent sad, anxious or empty feelings

Frequent crying for no apparent reason

Feeling pessimistic

Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness

Feeling tense and irritable

Tiredness and loss of energy feeling unable to complete household chores

Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping

Change in appetite and/or weight loss or weight gain

Feelings of rejection from partner, family, friends and even the baby

Feelings of anxiety

Feeling confused and panicky

Loss of concentration

Thoughts of death or suicide

Persistent physical symptoms, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain

Causes

Medical Help and Treatment

Postnatal Depression Statistics:  More Statistics >>

The most common form of postnatal disturbance is the ‘baby blues’ which is said to be experienced by at least half of all western mothers. This usually lasts between 12 and 24 hours, generally occurring between the third and sixth day after the birth. [12]

An incidence figure of 10 per cent of all new mothers is most often quoted, with other studies showing a figure between 3 per cent and 22 per cent. [13] However, it is argued that around 50 per cent of these cases will never come to medical attention. [14]

Puerperal psychosis is a severe and relatively rare form of postnatal depression affecting between 0.1 and 0.2 per cent of all new mothers. [15]    (Statistics from Mind.org.uk)

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