Postnatal depression

Postnatal blues

The ‘postnatal or baby blues refers to a range of feelings you may experience around the third or fourth day after your baby is born. The ‘blues are very common, with more than 80 percent of new mothers experiencing them. These feelings may include being tearful, irritable, mood changes, over tired, anxious and feelings of sadness or loneliness.

These feelings are thought to be caused by a number of factors, including sudden changes in hormone levels after childbirth, breastfeeding hormones, adjustment to parenthood and sleep deprivation. These feelings should disappear after a few days with no specific treatment apart from recognition, empathy and support from family and friends.

If these feelings persist for longer than two weeks, you need additional emotion support and should seek professional help from your GP or child& family health nurse.

Postnatal depression

Pregnancy and the first year of parenthood is a unique and special time. It’s also a time of great change.

All parents will have good days and bad days. But when the bad days outnumber the good, there may be a risk.

Perinatal depression and anxiety are a medical condition that is diagnosed when a parent experiences strong emotions that impede their ability to function in their usual way. Perinatal means anytime during pregnancy or the year after birth.

If your thing you might have postnatal depression or just want to talk to someone about how your feeling seek help form your GP or child& family health nurse

Birth trauma

Birth trauma is distress experienced by a woman during or after giving birth. Trauma can be physical, emotional and/or psychological.

Many women find childbirth emotionally traumatic. It is not just about what happened during the labour and the birth. It can also be about how you feel after the birth. You might have felt afraid, or helpless, and that your views or wishes were not being heard. After the birth some women feel shocked, numb, anxious, or angry about the experience.

If you experienced a physically traumatic birth, you might have been separated from your baby and not known if they were OK. You might not have been able to hold your baby immediately and experience skin to skin contact, which so many parents and babies crave after the birth.

Separation from your baby, lack of immediate contact with them and not knowing if they, or you, are physically healthy can lead to emotional trauma.

Talk to your midwife, doctor, or Child &family Health Nurse to see what options best suit your individual needs.

Support for you and your family

There is also plenty of support out there for you and your family.

For urgent help, contact:

The Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia (PANDA) on 1300 726 306
Lifeline on 13 11 14
13YARN Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander support on 13 92 76

Some of these organisations have postnatal depression support groups where you can connect with other people on a similar journey.