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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 1:7 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:-
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Tearfulness, weeping frequently |
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Panic attacks & anxiety |
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Being unable to sleep or feeling exhausted
even when you have had sleep |
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Nightmares |
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Flashbacks to your labour & birth |
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Feeling physically ill, and physical
symptoms such as chest pain, headaches, dizziness |
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Constant worry over your own health
or that of your child/children |
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Worries over cot death |
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Not feeling any emotion to your baby |
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Obsessive thoughts or repetitive chanting
thoughts or voices |
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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 |
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Feelings of being overwhelmed |
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Many women describe feeling in a deep pit or suffocating
feeling |
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Worries over everyday objects that
could cause harm to yourself or your child - e.g knives,
stairs, even cars or buses |
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Self harm |
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Feeling numb & lack of emotion |
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Putting on a brave face to hide how
you feel |
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Feeling like a failure and a “bad
Mother” |
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Feeling of wanting to escape and that
your family would be better off without you |
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Suicidal thoughts and feelings |
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