By Ho Shee Wai

Director/Registered Psychologist

Having a baby is supposedly a happy time for the family. While most new parents are aware that their lives will be irrevocably change with the arrival of the baby, what many did not expect is the change in the mental state of the new mother.

Baby Blues

All mums experience an intense emotional and physical transformation during pregnancy and the first year of a baby’s life, but for a significant proportion of mothers, this can lead on to full blown depression and anxiety and for a very small number, postnatal psychosis. The Baby Blues are a common expression for what happens to approximately 80% of all mums around the third to tenth day after birth. Because it is so common and temporary, we do not associate the Baby Blues as being a mental illness, but rather a natural state that is sure to pass once we settle into our new role as mothers. Symptoms include exhaustion, tearfulness, mood fluctuations, anxiety and irritability. Baby blues is thought to occur as a result of hormonal changes during pregnancy, the labour, breast feeding and lack of sleep.

Post Natal Depression

Unlike temporary baby blues, caused by hormonal dips and making big adjustments in your life, Post-Natal Depression (PND) or Postpartum Depression can last for months, affecting how you bond with your baby, your relationship and your wellbeing. 16% of women and 10% of new fathers go on to develop post-natal depression (PND). Post-natal depression usually sets in soon after childbirth and develops gradually over a period of several months. But it can also come on suddenly, and in some women, the first signs don’t appear until months after they’ve given birth.

In the beginning, postpartum depression can look like the normal baby blues. In fact, postpartum depression and the baby blues share many symptoms, including mood swings, crying jags, sadness, insomnia, and irritability. The difference is that with postpartum depression, the symptoms are more severe (such as suicidal thoughts or an inability to care for your newborn) and longer lasting.  PND affects women in different ways. Being unusually irritable with your partner, insomnia, having no desire to have sex, and feelings of hopelessness can all signal postnatal depression. Worrying about your baby is natural – you are a mother. But if you feel uncontrollable anxiety or you’re afraid to be alone with your baby, something more may be amiss. If you are having a hard time since you had your baby, with little support, then it’s pretty understandable to feel miserable. About half PND sufferers have thoughts of hurting themselves or their babies. However, it is extremely rare for either a mother or baby to be harmed.

Women with a previous history of a mood disorder severe enough to require treatment including counselling or medication are at greater risk of developing depression during pregnancy than a women with no prior history of a mood disorder. Depression during pregnancy goes on to PND in 40% of women, this is called Peripartum Depression.

How can family and friends help?

What sort of treatment is available?

PND is not only a distressing condition, it’s a serious and disabling one.  So, the earlier it’s spotted the better. Couples had shared that it has been hugely reassuring to both to know what’s wrong and they are not going crazy. If PND isn’t acknowledged and addressed, it’s likely to last longer and be more severe than it need be, and this can affect the relationship between the mother and the baby. While the mother may need help, she may need encouragement to seek it, and support in getting it. Feeling reluctant to ask for help is part of the problem. Possible sources of help include the GP, psychiatrist, psychologist, counsellor, or psychotherapist.

The Psychologist, Counsellors, or Psychotherapist will help the new mother identify and manage negative thoughts, feelings and behaviours that are part of postnatal depression – so that they can begin to bring their symptoms under control. As postnatal depression can be associated with previous losses and/or may be affecting their relationships with others, helpful strategies to help them resolve these issues which, if present, are likely to be affecting their postnatal depression.

The best conventional treatment for PND may be a combination of practical support and advice, counselling or psychotherapy, and if necessary, antidepressants.  With professional help, almost all women who experience PND are able to overcome their feelings and take good care of themselves and their children. If you think you have postnatal depression, it's important to seek help as soon as possible. Book in with The Counselling Place’s Psychologist, Counsellor, or Psychotherapist.