What is Postnatal Depression (PND)?

What are the Baby Blues?
What is Postnatal Depression / Illness?
Who is at Risk?
What are the Symptoms of PND / PNI?
What is Puerperal Psychosis?

Baby Blues

This is very common 3-4 days after giving birth, the mother may feel or be tearful often for no apparent reason. This is usually due to the fall in hormones after giving birth and will spontaneously resolve very quickly.

Postnatal Depression or Postnatal Illness

Postnatal Depression (PND) or as it is now known Postnatal Illness (PNI) affects 1 in 7 mothers, this is regardless of age, religion, ethnic group etc. It does not matter if it is your first baby or fourth. PNI can happen anytime in the first year after giving birth.

Who is at risk?

Any mother can get PND, you may be at a higher risk if you have previously suffered with depression, or have felt depressed in your pregnancy.

PNI Symptoms

These can be different for everyone but common symptoms can include any of the following:

Tearfulness, weeping frequently
Panic attacks & anxiety
Being unable to sleep or feeling exhausted even when you have had sleep
Nightmares
Flashbacks to your labour & birth
Feeling physically ill, and physical symptoms such as chest pain, headaches, dizziness
Constant worry over your own health or that of your child/children
Worries over cot death
Not feeling any emotion to your baby
Obsessive thoughts or repetitive chanting thoughts or voices
Thoughts that you may harm your child or a member of your family either accidentally or deliberately, most mums with PND DO NOT harm their children
Feelings of being overwhelmed
Many women describe feeling in a deep pit or suffocating feeling
Worries over everyday objects that could cause harm to yourself or your child - e.g knives, stairs, even cars or buses
Self harm
Feeling numb & lack of emotion
Putting on a brave face to hide how you feel
Feeling like a failure and a “bad Mother”
Feeling of wanting to escape and that your family would be better off without you
Suicidal thoughts and feelings

Puerperal Psychosis

Although rare, puerperal psychosis affects 1 in 500 mothers. Onset is usually rapid after giving birth and symptoms include delusions (false beliefs) and hallucinations – seeing and hearing things that are not there. Psychosis means to loose touch with reality.

This requires immediate help from a Health Professional. If someone you know is showing signs of Psychosis seek medical help NOW.