What can be done if you havepostnatal depression?If your depression lasts longer than a few daysyou should discuss your feelings with your doctor. If possible take your partner or a friendor relative with you. Before you see the doctorwrite a list of all the symptoms that you aresuffering from. You should not go on sufferingdepression in the hope that it will go away.Postnatal depression is a real illness and it canbe treated successfully with anti-depressantdrugs. These drugs are not addictive. Theymake the unpleasant symptoms fade until theygo completely.

Who else can help?After you have seen the doctor, you may findit helpful to talk to an understanding andsympathetic member of your family or a friend.If your friend understands that you will recovercompletely and be your ‘old self ’ again whenyou are better, then he or she can be a realsource of comfort and reassurance to youduring the time of your illness.

Your midwife, community nurse and healthvisitor can also give you advice, reassuranceand support.

It is important to remember that all mothersrecover from postnatal depression. As the recoveryproceeds, the bad days get fewer and less upsettingand the good days become more numerous.Gradually the bad days disappear completely.

Some mothers find it helpful to talk to a motherwho has had postnatal depression andrecovered. If you contact the Association forPostnatal Illness, we will send you furtherinformation about the illness and tell you howto apply for a supporter who has had the illness.

Self helpAlthough it may be very difficult to rest whenyou have a demanding baby and perhaps otherchildren to care for; it does help to rest as muchas possible if you are suffering from depression.You will find that you feel worse if you areovertired. Ask a partner or friend to care for thebaby whilst you have a proper rest, preferablyin the middle of the day. Try to lie on yourbed even if you do not sleep. A rest in the dayoften improves sleeping at night for those withsleeping difficulties.

Try to eat a small meal or have a hot sweetdrink at regular intervals. Many depressedmothers forget to eat and this can make thedepression symptoms feel worse.

Male Postnatal DepressionMale partners may also suffer from Postnataldepression. If this happens then they shouldseek help from their G.P.

Further informationFor more information about postnatal depressionplease write to:

The Association for Postnatal Illness, 145 Dawes Road, Fulham,London SW6 7EB.Phone: 020 7386 0868Fax: 020 7386 8885Web site: www.apni.orge-mail: info@apni.orgOffice Hours 10am-2pm Weekdays

If you would like to join a group meeting wheregeneral problems of motherhood are discussed askyour health visitor for details of a local motherand baby group or contact:

The National Childbirth Trust,Alexandra House, Oldham Terrace, Acton,Phone: 0300 330 0700 www.nct.org.uk orwww.netmums.com

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TheBaby Blues andPostnatal Depression

One in two women who have just given birthexperience the baby blues. This leaflet explainswhy some women feel emotional after a birth andit offers information and advice about the bluesand postnatal depression.

This leaflet is produced bythe Association for Post-natal IllnessM 7

The Baby BluesAfter the birth of a baby about half of allmothers suffer a period of mild depression calledthe blues. This may last for a few hours or, atmost, for a few days and then it disappears.

Symptoms of the BluesMany mothers feel very emotional and upsetwhen they have the blues and they cry for noparticular reason. They may find that it isimpossible to cheer up. Some mothers feel veryanxious and tense. Minor problems may causemothers with the blues to worry a great deal.

Some mothers have pains for which there is nomedical cause or they may feel unwell butwithout any particular symptoms. Most motherswho have the blues feel very tired and lethargicmost of the time. Frequently mothers who havethe blues have difficulty sleeping.

Possible causes of the BluesThe blues may have several causes, somebiological and some emotional.

When a baby is born there are very suddenchanges in the mother’s hormone levels. Some,required during pregnancy, drop rapidly, whileothers like those which start the production ofmilk, rise. These rapid changes may act totrigger the blues.

Many mothers are unprepared for the extremeweariness which often follows a birth. Theweariness is usually due to a combination offactors. In many cases the mother will have beenanticipating the birth with some apprehension.This, as well as the physical exertion of the birthitself, can make mothers feel exhausted.

Rest and quiet are most important after a birth.Few mothers get either, as they are busyresponding to the needs of the baby, or, whenthey might be able to rest, they are disturbed byhospital or home routines or by visitors who maystay too long.

Sometimes the baby may have a slight healthproblem such as jaundice or feeding difficultiesin the early days. These problems are verycommon with new babies, but they causemothers great anxiety. The problems do settledown as the baby gets older and mothers shouldtry to talk to medical staff and allow themselvesto be reassured that the baby will thrive.

What can be done to help a BluessuffererMothers who have the blues should be allowedto cry if they want to and allowed to expresstheir fluctuating emotions. If they feel miserablethey should not be told to pull themselvestogether. It can be a great help to the mother ifsomeone listens to her and reassures her thather worries and misery will not last and that shewill soon feel better.

A mother who has the blues must have as muchrest as possible. It may also help the mother ifshe is told that the blues are very common andthat they will usually pass quickly.

Affected mothers are often over-sensitive aboutwhat is said to them by relatives and medicalstaff. So tact and empathy from the staff can bevery beneficial at this time.

Length of the BluesIn most cases the blues last for only a few daysand then the feelings fade.

If the blues do continue and seem to be gettingworse then the mother should see her doctorand discuss the problem.

Postnatal DepressionPostnatal depression is an unpleasant illnesswhich affects about 10% of mothers who haverecently given birth. The depression oftenstarts after the mother has left hospital andbeen discharged by the midwife.

Symptoms of PostnatalDepressionPostnatal depression has many symptoms.Most mothers who have the illness find thatthey are less able to cope with the demandsof the baby and of the home. Some mothersfeel very despondent. They may feel very sadand cry frequently. Some mothers feel anxiousand fearful, they worry about their ownhealth and that of the baby. They may sufferfrom panic attacks and feel tense andirritable all the time. Most depressed mothersfeel tired and lack energy, often they feelunable to concentrate and they find evensimple tasks are confusing and demand toomuch energy.

Some mothers experience pains for which thereis no cause (other than tension and anxiety),many suffer difficulty in sleeping and poorappetite. Many depressed mothers lose interestin sex.

A depressed mother may suffer from any or allof the symptoms mentioned. Most motherswho have this illness feel guilty that they arenot ‘coping’ as they feel they should be.