What is postnatal depression
Post natal depression is a type of depression that usually affects mothers after they’ve had a baby, but it can sometimes affect fathers and partners too. Looking after a baby can be stressful and exhausting and many women feel tearful and down after they give birth. These feelings don’t usually last for more than two weeks, and if they last longer you may have post natal depression. This can develop at any time during the first year after birth.
What causes postnatal depression?
The causes of postnatal depression are not always clear, sometimes there is an obvious trigger and sometimes there are none. Some of the common causes of postnatal depression include:
- A history of mental health problems in pregnancy
- A history of mental health problems at any time
- A poor relationship with your partner
- A poor family support network
- Birth related trauma
Symptoms of postnatal depression
There are several indicators that you may benefit from counselling for your postnatal depression. Some of the common reasons people seek professional help include:
- Persistent feelings of sadness and low mood
- Thoughts about hurting your baby
- Difficulty bonding with your baby
- Problems concentrating
- Thoughts of self harm
- Social withdrawal
- Loss of interest
- Mood swings
- Guilt
