If after giving birth the feeling of tearfulness hasn't cleared up within a few weeks, talking to your midwife or GP can help.
As many as eight out of 10 women get what's known as the 'baby blues'. It normally begins within a few days of the birth, and common symptoms include bursting into tears for no reason, or feeling fantastic one minute and miserable the next. Fortunately, the symptoms only last for a short time.
If you become more unhappy or upset, or if your low mood lasts longer than a week, you might have postnatal depression.
Postnatal depression affects one in 10 new mums. You're more likely to develop postnatal depression if:
• you’ve been depressed in the past,
• there's a family history of postnatal depression or depression during pregnancy,
• you've had a difficult pregnancy, or problems with your baby’s health,
• you feel isolated, with nobody close to talk to,
• you've had a recent bereavement,
• you have little money or nowhere settled to live, or
• you have twins or triplets, mainly because of the additional stress of caring for more than one baby.
But postnatal depression can happen to anybody, no matter what your circumstances, and no matter how much you love your baby.
If you’re feeling low, talk about it. Tell your partner, a friend or anyone you’re close to who’s a good listener. In milder cases, which are common, just having someone to talk to can often make you feel better.
To read the full article and to find out signs to look our for and ways you can get help & support please go to http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/pregnancy/Pages/postnataldepression.aspx
You can contact Midwife Hull confidentially on facebook at http://tiny.cc/farhl
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