Postnatal depression

Many mums suffer the ‘baby blues’ during the first weeks after the birth. Giving birth is a very emotional and physically demanding experience, so it’s perfectly normal to feel like you have given all you got and struggle to cope with the demands of caring for a newborn when you are bone tired and sleep deprived. Because of this and hormone imbalances, you might feel tearful, anxious, hypersensitive and even alone in the world, even if you are surrounded by family and friends. With rest and the support of your partners and relations, these feelings will gradually melt away.

But for around 10-20% of women, these feelings won’t go away and may develop into postnatal depression (PND). PND usually occurs two to eight weeks after childbirth, but in some cases it occurs up to a year after the birth.

Some of the signs, such as fatigue, irritability or poor appetite are common, but these are usually mild and don’t stop you leading a normal life. If these feelings intensify and are accompanied by feelings of dejection, weepy spells, resenting your partner, excessive anxiety about being a mum, even disinterest in your baby or yourself, exhaustion and insomnia, you might be suffering from PND. Your healthcare professional will be monitoring your health after the birth so you don’t need to suffer in silence – PND can be treated successfully. They can also listen to your feelings without judging and give the support you need so you can go back to your old self and enjoy being a mother. There are also organisations that can help, such as Aware, a charity that provides information and support to depression sufferers. Find out more by visiting www.aware.ie.