What is Postnatal Depression?
(Now referred to as Perinatal Depression)
Many Mums will experience some degree of mood swings following the birth of their baby, commonly referred to as The Baby Blues. However Postnatal Depression refers to a more severe or prolonged experience of depression. The depression will last for more then a week and interferes with the Mothers ability to function on a daily basis with the normal routine, including in most cases caring and/or bonding with their baby.
The below is taken from the The Black Dog Institutes website
For around one in seven women the stresses and emotional changes that accompany their postnatal experiences can be intense and include strong depressive mood swings, anxiety, social withdrawal, irritability and loss of enjoyment in usual activities. Postnatal disorders can interfere with the developing relationship between a mother and her baby after birth (bonding and attachment) and impose strains upon the parental relationship as well as causing distress for women themselves.
Severe disorders require treatment and it is very important to tell your doctor or midwife about current symptoms of distress as well as any past history or medication use.
How do I know if I have Postnatal Depression?
There are few symptoms to look out for and they are included in point form below...
- loss of enjoyment in usual activities/hobbies
- loss of self-esteem and confidence
- loss of appetite and weight or increased appetite and weight gain
- Sleep disturbance unrelated to baby's sleep needs
- sense of hopelessness and being a failure
- a wish not to be alive
- panic attacks
- loss of libido
- fears for baby’s or partners safety or wellbeing.
- Crying or not being able to cry
- Inability to cope
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Negative, morbid or obsessive thoughts
- Fear of being alone or fear of being with others
- Memory difficulties and loss of concentration
- Feeling guilty and inadequate
- Thoughts of harm to self, baby or suicide
Keeping it real.
My personal Description of what Postnatal Depression is
For me Postnatal Depression was like someone just took my life and swapped it with a new one I'd never lived before. Suddenly everything I knew, everything I was comfortable with was gone.
It's like I went to sleep and woke up with a screaming baby. Any ounce of confidence and self esteem I had before that moment was gone.
I lost enjoyment in everything, I no longer wanted to leave the house, I did not even enjoy holding the baby, hated the breast feeding, hated getting out of bed. I stopped eating and got sick, could not sleep in the precious few hours I could actually sleep. Kept all the curtains closed and avoided sunlight. I always felt like I was failing at whatever i was doing, I used to cry because the kettle would not boil fast enough or if I missed a TV show.
I had constant nightmares & thoughts of dropping my baby or losing him. I spent every day in a ball of anxiety & always on the verge of panic.
But most of all I was just plain old miserable! I was just unable to smile or see anything other then misery in everything, I was walking around unable to feel or think. You could have stabbed me in the foot with a sharp object and I would not be able to react....I was just walking around in some kind of fog and when I try to think back to the first 12 weeks (the worst of the sleep deprivation) I honestly could not tell you anything, I just don't remember.
Asking for help is often the hardest part of the recovery and second to
that is accepting treatment...but I promise you that it's worth it and
it's OK.
It is very important to seek help if you are experiencing any distressing symptoms. Please make contact with your GP, Midwife, or Child Health Nurse.
The information I have provided is very brief, for more information I recommend you speak to your GP, or Child Health Nurse. Also the websites below are an excellent resource I always refer back to...
Question!
Postnatal Depression.....How would you describe it to someone who has not been through it? ~ Christina
Hi Christina... The PND journey is so incredibly tough, and as you say, so isolating. I struggled so much during the first 6 months and was only diagnosed at 8 months (a late diagnosis!). I also blog about my experience regularly as still going through it day-to-day... Here is the link to my first ever post:
ReplyDeletehttp://awriterelief.wordpress.com/2012/05/07/our-new-baby-an-interesting-start-to-the-journey/
I love your blog, as you know, and am so thankful for all the wonderful support you offer. Big hugs!
I've been following your blog since you first posted on our facebook wall and it's like I'm reading about myself sometimes. It's so easy to feel all alone in this, but it's thanks to women like you that the world of PND is becoming less and less isolated.
DeleteThank you for supporting our network & Blog xox
Christina