Postnatal Depression (PND): key facts
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Health: have you been affected by the recession? We
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Introduction
10-15 in every 100 women become depressed
after having a baby. This means you have a low mood and other
symptoms for at least 2 weeks. These may include:
- feeling anxious or irritable
- not sleeping even when your baby sleeps
- poor appetite (or comfort eating)
- guilty and negative thoughts
- being unable to enjoy things
- feeling that life just isn't worth living
- finding it hard to look after yourself and the baby.
PND often starts within 1-2 months of giving
birth. It can start after several months. Depression in pregnancy
can continue after birth. PND may last for weeks or months.
What causes Postnatal Depression?
Many causes have been suggested. It is more
likely if you have:
- had depression or other mental health problems before
- had depression or anxiety in pregnancy
- no support
- had a recent stressful event, such as a relationship
ending.
Can Postnatal Depression be prevented?
We don't know enough about PND to prevent it.
These things make sense:
- Don't try to be 'superwoman' - do less and
try not to get over-tired.
- Make friends with other pregnant women or new
mums.
- Find someone you can talk to. If you don't have a close friend,
try the National Childbirth
Trust or the Pandas Foundation. They
have support groups.
- Go to antenatal classes.
- Don't stop antidepressant medication in pregnancy without
advice. Discuss this with your GP. Around 7 out of 10 women
who stop antidepressants in pregnancy relapse.
- Keep in touch with your GP or health visitor if you have had
depression before. They can recognise any signs of depression
early.
- Make sure you have treatment for depression in pregnancy.
- Accept offers of help from friends and family.
Where to get help for Postnatal Depression
Talk to your GP or Health Visitor. For urgent
help, go to the Accident and Emergency Department or contact your
GP or your mental health service.
The help you need depends on how severe your depression is.
Everyone can try the self-help suggestions below. If this is
not enough, you might benefit from a talking therapy. For more
severe depression, you may need medication, with or without talking
therapy.
Self-help
- Do tell someone how you feel - your partner, a
relative, a friend, your health visitor or your GP.
- Do sleep or rest during the day or night when
you can.
- Do try and eat regularly.
- Do find time to do things you enjoy or help
you relax.
- Do go to local groups for new mothers or
postnatal support groups.
- Do let others help with housework, shopping
and looking after other children.
- Do exercise.
- Do use self-help books and websites.
- Do contact organisations that support women
with Postnatal Depression.
- Don't blame yourself, your partner or close
friends or relatives.
- Don't use alcohol or drugs.
How can partner, family or friends help?
- Take time to listen.
- Try not to be shocked or disappointed by the diagnosis - it can
be treated.
- Encourage your partner, relative or friend to get the help and
treatment she needs.
- Give practical help like shopping, feeding, changing the baby,
or housework.
Why is treatment important?
Most women will get better without treatment in 3 to 6 months. 1
in 4 mothers with PND are still depressed when their child is
one-year-old. Depression can affect your relationship with
your baby and partner. It can also affect your child's development.
So the shorter it last, the better.
Talking treatments
Talking helps. Your GP can refer you for counselling. Cognitive Behavioural
Therapy helps you to see how some of your ways of
thinking and behaving may be making you depressed. Other therapies can help you
understand the depression in terms of what has happened to you in
the past.
What about antidepressants?
These may help if your depression is severe or not improving.
There are several types of antidepressants. They all
work equally well, but have different side-effects. They are not
addictive. They can all be used in PND, but some are safer than
others if you are breastfeeding.
Antidepressants take at least 2 weeks to start working. You need
to take them for around 6 months after you start to feel
better.
Are there alternatives?
Hormones probably don't work well and they may have their own
dangers, particularly if you have had thrombosis (blood clots in
the veins).
St John's Wort
is a herbal remedy. There is evidence that it is effective in mild
to moderate depression. There is not enough information to
say that it is definitely safe in breastfeeding.
St John's Wort can interact with other medicines. Check with
your doctor before you take it. This is very important if you are
taking the oral contraceptive pill. St John's Wort might stop your
pill working. This can lead to an unplanned pregnancy.
FINALLY, even if you have
been depressed for a while, support, counselling and medication can
all help. It's never too late.
This leaflet is made available through the
generosity of the Charitable Monies Allocation Committee of the
mental health charity St Andrew's, Northampton.
Updated July 2012. Due for review: July
2014. This is an abridged version of
our main leaflet.
Expert review: Dr Lucinda Green
© Royal College of Psychiatrists
http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/.
You can link to, download, print, photocopy and distribute this
leaflet free of charge. But you must not change it or repost it on
a website.
Charity registration number (England and
Wales) 228936 and in Scotland SC038369.
Please note that we are unable to offer advice on individual cases. Please see our
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