Postnatal depression

Postnatal depression often goes undiagnosed and many women struggle on without support or advice. Make sure you know what the symptoms are, so that you can get help early, before it affects your ability to care for your baby.

Postpartum depression has long been known to compromise a mother's capacity to optimally care for her newborn. She no longer enjoys activities that she used to and she struggles to function. Looking specifically at postnatal depression (PND)(not to be confused with 'baby blues' which a mother may feel for a few days after giving birth) this definition applies to a mother who develops a major depressive episode within a few weeks of giving birth and who has no interest or joy, in her new baby. According to the PNDSA, Postnatal depression (PND) is a mental illness that affects on average 10-15% of women worldwide regardless of race, culture or socio-economic status.

According to a recent sudy in the August 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP), babies born to mothers who suffered from PND showed the lowest levels of social engagement during interactions with their mothers, were unable to self-regulate during new situations, fussed and cried more often, and their physiological stress response was higher and more pronounced. Children of anxious mothers showed lower social engagement than children of control mothers but higher than children of depressed mothers.

It has been shown that peer support is highly effective in helping to prevent postnatal depression. There is a need for accessible treatment and an alternative to medication, as well as education about the symptoms of PND so that it can be identified and addressed early. Be certain this isn't just baby blues. Check if it can be alleviated by changing your expectations or embracing the good of the situation; then approach your GP for help.