Postnatal depression. Information for families

Transcription

1 Postnatal depression Information for families

2 Postnatal depression is a type of depression that many parents experience after having a baby. It s a common problem, affecting more than 1 in every 10 women within a year of giving birth. It can also affect fathers and partners. It s important to seek help as soon as possible if you think you might be depressed, as your symptoms could last months or get worse and have a significant impact on you, your baby and your family. With the right support, which can include self-help strategies and therapy, most women make a full recovery. It is estimated that 1 in every 10 new mothers will experience Statistic taken from NHS Choices

3 Symptoms of Many women feel a bit down, tearful or anxious in the first week after giving birth. This is often called the baby blues and is so common that it s considered normal. The baby blues don t last for more than two weeks after giving birth. If your symptoms last longer or start later, you could have. Postnatal depression can start any time in the first two years after giving birth. Signs that you or someone you know might be depressed include: A persistent feeling of sadness and low mood Lack of enjoyment and loss of interest in the wider world Lack of energy and feeling tired all the time Trouble sleeping at night and feeling sleepy during the day Difficulty bonding with your baby Withdrawing from contact with other people Problems concentrating and making decisions Frightening thoughts for example, about hurting your baby. Many women don t realise they have, because it can develop gradually.

4 Getting help for Speak to your GP or health visitor if you think you may be depressed. Health visitors have been trained to recognise and have techniques that can help. If they can t help, they ll know someone in your area who can. Encourage your partner to seek help if you think they might be having problems. Don t struggle alone hoping that the problem will go away. Remember that: A range of help and support is available, including therapy Depression is an illness like any other It s not your fault you re depressed it can happen to anyone Being depressed doesn t mean you re a bad parent It doesn t mean you re going mad Your baby won t be taken away from you babies are only taken into care in very exceptional circumstances.

5 Treatments for Postnatal depression can be lonely, distressing and frightening, but support and effective treatments are available. These include: Self-help things you can try yourself include: talking to your family and friends about your feelings, and what they can do to help; making time for yourself to do things you enjoy; resting whenever you get the chance and getting as much sleep as you can at night; exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet Psychological therapy your GP may be able to recommend a self-help course, or may refer you for a course of therapy, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) Antidepressants these may be recommended if your depression is more severe or other treatments haven t helped; your doctor can prescribe a medicine that s safe to take while breastfeeding. Local organisations that can help Hillingdon Talking Therapies referral-hillingdon Association for Post Natal Illness (APNI) Pre and Postnatal Depression Advice and Support (PANDAS) Meet a mum Association Netmums Your local health visitor will also be able to help or tell you where to find more support. Tell us, we re listening Our staff want to know how they re doing. Tell us what you think at feedback and then we ll know what we have to do.

6 This document is also available in other languages, large print, Braille, and audio format upon request. Please Arabic Farsi Bengali Dokumentigaan waxaa xitaa lagu heli karaa luqado kale, daabacad far waa-wayn, farta indhoolaha (Braille) iyo hab dhegaysi ah markii la soo codsado. Somali Mediante solicitação, este documento encontra-se também disponível noutras línguas, num formato de impressão maior, em Braille e em áudio. Portuguese Tamil Este documento también está disponible y puede solicitarse en otros idiomas, letra grande, braille y formato de audio. Spanish Dokument ten jest na życzenie udostępniany także w innych wersjach językowych, w dużym druku, w alfabecie Braille a lub w formacie audio. Polish Gujarati Be belge istenirse, başka dillerde, iri harflerle, Braille ile (görme engelliler için) ve ses kasetinde de temin edilebilir. Turkish Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, Stephenson House, 75 Hampstead Road, London NW1 2PL. Tel: Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust Ref: 0820_DEC2017 December 2017