Postnatal depression - what to look for

'Baby blues' or postnatal depression?

The baby blues are believed to affect up to two-thirds of new mums and usually involve a few days of irritability, feeling low and crying. These are perfectly normal and usually disappear of their own accord.

But if you have symptoms that are more severe than this, or last for a long time, you could be suffering from postnatal depression (PND). It is important that you and those around you are aware of the signs, so read on to understand what to look out for.

The physical stress of birth, hormonal fluctuation, dramatic change in lifestyle and new-found stresses and anxieties may all contribute to changes in the way new mothers feel. If postnatal depression occurs, it is usually in the first four to six weeks after childbirth, and may develop from a particularly bad case of the baby blues.

How common is it?

Postnatal depression occurs in around 10 to 15 per cent of mums. It is more prevalent among mothers who have suffered with depression before, and those with a family history of depression.

It is also more common if mums-to-be have experienced a lot of stress or anxiety during pregnancy - for example, a lack of support from friends and family, if their baby was unplanned or unwanted, if the birth was particularly traumatic, or if the baby is born with problems.

'There are several possible causes of this illness,' says Clare Delpech of the Association of Postnatal Illness (APNI). 'The most likely is that the huge drop in hormones following the birth triggers a depression in a woman who is vulnerable.

'This vulnerability may be genetic, as the daughter of a mother who has suffered from PND is more likely to suffer. Also women who have already experienced postnatal depression have a 50% chance of suffering after a subsequent birth.'

What to look out for

Symptoms of postnatal depression are very similar to those of 'ordinary' depression. They include:

• Feeling upset or tearful for no reason
• Not enjoying your new baby as much as you expected
• Feeling unable to cope with the responsibility of parenthood
• Worrying excessively about your baby's health
• Constantly feeling tense or 'on edge', or as if something bad will happen
• Being irritable with any other children or your partner/friends
• Being exhausted, yet unable to sleep
• Loss of appetite
• Panic attacks
• Feeling worthless, or like you are a bad mother because you're struggling to cope
• Thoughts of self-harm or suicide
  

If you recognise any of these symptoms in yourself, you should seek help from your GP. And keep an eye open for these symptoms in other new mums around you.