Post-natal Depression

Post-natal Depression

Post-natal depression affects more than 1 in every 10 women within a year of giving birth.

Most new mothers experience ‘baby blues’, mild depression that can last for a few weeks after the baby is born. However, post-natal depression can continue for months after the birth. Although the symptoms vary it will often leave women feeling upset, anxious, inadequate and guilty.

Post-natal depression is a serious illness. Often women don’t want to tell anyone how they are feeling as they worry that they could be seen as a ‘bad’ or ‘inadequate’ mother.

Common Experiences of Post-natal depression

  • Feelings that you can’t cope with your baby.
  • Feeling irritable.
  • Intense feelings of sadness and guilt.
  • Anxiety.
  • Feelings of hopelessness.
  • Loss of interest in sex.
  • Negative feelings towards your partner and/or baby.

Personal Story

“I felt as if I wasn’t good enough for my son. I felt like he would be better off without me. I felt like I was incapable of giving him the life he deserved, which in turn made me feel guilty and took me to a very dark place.

“No matter how many people told me that I was more than capable of giving him the life he deserved, it fell on deaf ears because I felt worthless and ashamed - I was in absolute despair.”

– Angela Erskine

Read Angela's story here. 

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