Post-natal depression - is it real or just a figment of imagination?
Many women don't realise they have postnatal depression because it can develop gradually. However, it's quite common as it affects one in 10 women who have recently given birth. Learn how to recognise its symptoms before it becomes a more serious problem.
PND often develops within the 1st few months after giving birth, particularly in the first 5 weeks. However, it can start any time during the first year. Depression can suddenly creep up or it could even have been with you during pregnancy and did not lift after the birth of your baby.
The common symptoms include:
Low/sad mood
Irritability
Extreme tiredness with no energy
A loss of interest in activities
Poor sleep
A sense of hopelessness
A sense of guilt
Lack of appetite
Tearfulness
Anxiety
Physical symptoms such as body aches
Negative feelings towards your baby
It's important to note that many mums have at least one of these feelings at some time. It's normal to have good and bad days. However, if you're feeling many of these symptoms on most days and they don't get better, you could have PND.
Source: Health Hub
Clookies says:
We believe that this figure of 1 in 10 mums suffering from PND is seriously understated. Nearly EVERY mum we spoke to has suffered some sort of post-natal depression, its only a matter of the spectrum of seriousness and length of it.
There are many mummies out there whose PND are not captured as part of the statistic either because treatment has not been sought or they themselves are unaware of what they are going through.
There is no shame in acknowledging that you suffer from post-natal depression and it is important to recognise if you or your loved ones are suffering from PND, so as to treat it in a timely and appropriate manner, for the good of your own mental and emotional well-being.
In the following weeks, we will be exploring some ways that can help mothers cope better with PND. In the meantime, stay positive and stay tuned!