More Than The Baby Blues: Post Natal Depression

More than 80% of new mothers will experience the Baby Blues, somewhere between the third and fifth day after giving birth. With a little bit of understanding and support, these baby blues usually pass within a few days. Symptoms that a mother is experiencing the Baby Blues include irritability, swinging low/ high moods, anxiety, crying and general emotional distress.

Post Natal Depression has a great amount of stigma attached to it, and man misconceptions surrounding it. Suffering can range from mild, to moderate, or severe. Many women are uneducated about the illness and as such it goes untreated for quite some time.

There are a number of factors that are thought to contribute to the likelihood of a woman getting Post natal Depression, but no single,one identifiable cause. It can affect women of all cultures, all ages, and can follow on from a miscarriage, stillbirth, normal vaginal delivery or caesarean alike. Post Natal Depression can occur after a woman has her first baby, it may only happen after a woman has her third, or fifth child, or even still, it may happen after each of a woman's children's births. The odds of getting Post Natal Depression are against you if you have already suffered from it with a previous child, as 50% of women who experience Post Natal Depression with one child will experience it with following children.

There are a number of symptoms that can be used to identify and diagnose Post Natal Depression. Depending on the severity of the illness in each individual, some or all of these may present themselves, some more dramatically than others:

 ~ Sleep Disturbance (such as insomnia- difficulty getting to sleep, constantly waking during the night, or sleeping excessive amounts) not in conjunction with the new baby's sleep patterns.

 ~ Appetite Disturbance (not feeling hungry, refusal to eat, eating excessively)

 ~ Crying, or feeling the need to cry without actually being able to cry

 ~ Feeling unable to cope with everyday life, or feeling overwhelmed

 ~ Irritability

 ~ Aggressiveness, or trying to blame everyone/ anyone else for everything going wrong- particularly the way the Post Natal Depression sufferer is feeling

 ~ Negative or morbid thoughts, even to the point of feeling suicidal, or wanting to harm oneself or someone else (including the baby)

 ~ Fear of being alone, or fear of being with other people

 ~ Loss of concentration/ the ability to focus, and difficulty with memory

 ~ Feelings of guilt, and feelings of inadequacy

 ~ Loss of confidence, and self esteem, feeling as though the woman has “lost herself”

 ~ Feeling as though there is no happiness in anything

The contributing factors to a woman getting Post Natal Depression, can be put under three main headings- Psychological, Biological and Social.

 Psychological factors that can contribute to this condition include- a difficult or traumatic birth (including miscarriage and stillbirth), childhood traumas including physical/ sexual/ emotional abuse, relationship difficulties with partner/ immediate or extended family, and certain personality types are believed to have a higher predisposition to this illness- particularly people with perfectionism/ controlling issues.

Biological factors that are thought to contribute to this illness include- family history (a genetic predisposition) of depression/ other mental illnesses, personal history of depression and mental illness, complications during pregnancy or childbirth, Post Natal Depression from a previous pregnancy/ childbirth, nutritional deficiencies, and the hormonal changes a woman experiences after delivery and the effect these hormonal changes can have on a person's brain chemistry.

Social factors that can lead to Post Natal Depression may include- lack of family and friends, lack of community support and social isolation, financial difficulties, the woman's age, and stressful life events including divorce, a death in the family, a serious illness in the family or moving interstate.

Post Natal Depression may be difficult to recognise and diagnose to treat in its early stages. There are a number of reasons for this. Lack of education about Post Natal Depression in women, mean that they often cannot recognise their symptoms and do not seek help for their illness. Fear of losing one's child, is also another driving factor in staying silent about the way a woman feels. The stigma and preconceptions surrounding Post Natal Depression, or any mental illness, and the lack of community support and knowledge regarding mental health issues is another factor as to why women often do not come forward. Difficulties in diagnosing Post Natal Depression by medical professionals- as there is some debate as to what is considered normal transitional behaviour and feelings after giving birth and what constitutes as Post Natal Depression, it is often not diagnosed until it has progressed to a more severe case.

Post Natal Depression does not only affect the woman experiencing it, but also her partner, child/ren, family and friends. It impacts on the relationships the woman has with each of these people, and is also thought to have an effect on the development of the infant.

If undiagnosed, and untreated Post Natal Depression may become dangerous to the mother, the baby or to others. As the severity of the depression increases as does the likelihood of suicide, self harm or harm to others including the mother's own infant. Family, Friends and Partners may not know how to approach these issues, but if they are concerned they should contact a mental health professional, as these issues need to be addressed gently but firmly, and quickly.

Once diagnosed there are a number of treatment options available including one on one counselling, support groups and medication. There are a handful of antidepressants that have been trialled and have been shown to be effective in treating Post Natal Depression, whilst being safe for breastfeeding mothers. A General Practitioner, or Mental Health Professional will explore these options with the sufferer, and together decide on a course of action suitable for the individual- depending upon the severity of the depression, support available to the mother and wishes of the person suffering Post Natal Depression.

Post Natal Depression, is a treatable and curable condition. It is more common than you may think, with it effecting 15% of Australian women. Globally between 10 and 20 percent of all mothers are effected, that's at least 1 in 10 women.

More than the Baby Blues, Post Natal Depression is a common mental health condition that more people need to be aware of.