Association for Post Natal Illness‘s FB post

Postnatal depression can affect women in different ways. They can begin to have symptoms soon after the birth which can last for months, or in severe cases for more than a year.

Key symptoms are:

a persistent feeling of sadness and low mood
loss of interest in the world around you and no longer enjoying things that used to give pleasure
lack of energy and feeling tired all the time (fatigue)
Other symptoms can include:
disturbed sleep, such as not being able to fall asleep during the night (insomnia) and then being sleepy during the day
difficulties with concentration and making decisions
low self-confidence
poor appetite or an increase in appetite (“comfort eating”)
feeling very agitated or alternatively very apathetic (can’t be bothered)
feelings of guilt and self-blame
Postnatal depression can interfere with your day-to-day life. Some women feel unable to look after their baby, or feel too anxious to leave the house or keep in touch with friends.

Treatment will benefit both your health and the healthy development of your baby, as well as your relationship with your partner, family and friends.
Seeking help for postnatal depression does not mean you are a bad mother or unable to cope.

Spotting the signs in others

Many mothers do not recognise they have postnatal depression, and do not talk to family and friends about their true feelings.
It’s therefore important for partners, family members and friends to recognise signs of postnatal depression at an early stage. Warning signs include:
They frequently cry for no obvious reason.
They have difficulties bonding with their baby.
They seem to be neglecting themselves – for example, not washing or changing clothes.
They seem to have lost all sense of time – often unaware if 10 minutes or two hours have passed.
They lose all sense of humour and cannot see the funny side of anything.
They worry something is wrong with their baby, regardless of reassurance.
If you think someone you know has postnatal depression, encourage them to open up and talk about their feelings to you, a friend, GP or health visitor.

Postnatal depression needs to be properly treated and isn’t something you can just snap out of. X Mel X