Perinatal depression is depression experienced during pregnancy (known as ante or prenatal depression) or after childbirth (known as postnatal depression). Many people are aware of postnatal depression (PND) but it's less commonly known that you can experience it during pregnancy as well.
Watch the Best Beginnings video with Dr Alain Gregoire on depression in the antenatal and postnatal period.
Becoming a parent brings a wide range of emotions, ranging from joy to excitement to stress and apprehension. The physical changes you go through can also affect your mood and feelings, and it's common to experience more ups and downs than usual. But depression is more than just a low mood, it's a serious condition that affects your physical and mental health. If left untreated, it can not only affect you but also the people around you, your loved ones, and even the baby's development.
Around 10 to 15 percent of new mothers will experience postnatal depression. It can range from being relatively mild to very severe but it is also a very treatable illness if you get the right help.
Some common symptoms to look for in ante and postnatal depression might include (but are not limited to):
What are the symptoms?
Feeling sad, low, or down the majority of the time
Regularly feeling tearful
A loss of pleasure in doing the things that used to bring enjoyment
Feeling unusually sleepy during the day or an inability to get out of bed
Intrusive thoughts
Struggling with concentration
Becoming unusually indecisive
Irritability, short-tempered and rageful outbursts
Becoming isolated and avoiding social situations
Feeling restless, short-tempered or agitated
A loss of self-confidence and feelings of worthlessness
A sense of overwhelming guilt
Thoughts of self-harm or suicide
Struggling to bond with your baby
Struggling with everyday parenting or daily routine tasks
Over or under eating.
If you are experiencing ante or postnatal depression you may feel:
Sad and low
Tearful for no apparent reason
Worthless
Hopeless about the future
Tired
Unable to cope
Irritable and angry
Guilty
Hostile or indifferent to your husband or partner
Hostile or indifferent to your baby.
Early recognition, support, and treatment can be a huge benefit to the health and well-being of the whole family, so it is important to seek professional help/guidance from a GP, midwife, or health visitor as soon as you think that you or someone you know might be affected by any of these symptoms.
If you are experiencing ante or postnatal depression you may find that you:
Have lost concentration
Have disturbed sleep
Find it hard to sleep - even when you have the opportunity
Have a reduced appetite
Lack of interest in sex
Have thoughts about death.
Some of theseexperiences, like lack of concentration, disturbed sleep and lack of interest in sex, are all common after becoming a parent but it's still important to mention them to your doctor if you're concerned you might have postnatal depression.
Early recognition, support, and treatment can be a huge benefit to the health and well-being of the whole family, so it is important to seek professional help/guidance from a GP, midwife, or health visitor as soon as you think that you or someone you know might be affected by any of these symptoms.
If you experience any of the following symptoms (known as "red flag symptoms"):
New thoughts of violent self harm
Sudden onset or rapidly worsening symptoms
Persistent feelings of estrangement from your baby
Then you need an urgent referral to a specialist mental health team.
We know that talking about how you are feeling can often be very difficult. However, there is help out there. You do not have to feel like this.
We hear that women often worry that they will be judged or seen to be 'not coping' - this is a common misconception. Health professionals are aware of how common depression can be during the perinatal period and can support you and your family. There will be a range of treatment options open to you including:
Self-help
Self-care/making time for yourself; healthy eating, increasing exercise, becoming more socially active, attending mother and baby groups/activities, practising mindfulness, developing self-help coping strategies, journaling, arts and crafts, peer to peer support and talking to friends and family to build your support network around you.
You may also find the Baby Buddy app useful. It contains useful information about your physical and mental health during pregnancy and after the baby has arrived.
Reading well books are available from most libraries, they promote the benefits of reading for health and well-being.
Talking Therapies
Different types of talking therapies can be effective in treating perinatal mental health.
The most commonly offered are:
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT); Guided self-help; Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR); counselling; psychotherapy.
(Anyone with a child under one will be prioritised. Parents should be triaged within four weeks and seen within 16 weeks in line with NICE Guidance CG192)
There are a variety of medications that can support your recovery. Please speak to your GP or midwife and they can help you to find the best one for you.
Specialist perinatal mental health services are available for any woman/birthing person who has a diagnosis of a mental health condition, during pregnancy or up to a year after the birth of their baby.
Help offered could be support from the local mental health crisis intervention team, a place in a mother and baby unit, and/or antipsychotic medication.
One 10 women will experience some degree of anxiety or depression, which can become a problem. Talking to other people and sharing your feelings can be reassuring. Please speak to a healthcare professional if you notice changes in your mood that are lasting much longer than is normal for you. There is plenty of support in the local area including talking therapies and support groups as well as online resources such as those below.
Hounslow talking therapies
Hounslow Talking Therapies can support you if you think that you have depression or anxiety, and you can self refer. The service is free and as a new parent you should be prioritised for therapy.
Please tell your Midwife, Health Visitor, GP, or Obstetrician if you have an existing mental health problem or have had a mental illness in the past. They can ensure you get the individual care and support you need from a specialist perinatal mental health midwife and/or a perinatal mental health team.
