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. Untreated, it can affect not only 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.