The Baby Website - Depression After Childbirth

Depression After Childbirth

A woman has escaped jail after she admitted to infanticide. Danielle Wails denied murdering her baby son, Alexander Gallon, but her guilty plea to infanticide was accepted by the court after psychiatrists said she was suffering from post-natal depression.

It is unclear yet as to what type of depression the mother was suffering from. However, there are a number of ways women’s mental health can be affected after pregnancy.

Having a baby is expected to be joyful occasion for a new mother. But for many women the first few weeks after giving birth is an anxious time. It is common for mothers to suffer the "baby blues", which lasts just a few days. But one in 10 women suffers from clinically defined postnatal depression, usually when their baby is between four and six months old, although it can happen at any point in the child's first year. It can be sudden or develop over time; be minor or very severe. Some conditions are very severe while others are just minor cases.

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This type of depression is not unlike any other kind but the mother’s relationship with her child can be affected due to her feeling unable to cope. Symptoms include feeling despondent or lethargic; they may feel inadequate as mothers and have panic attacks. Some even have physical symptoms such as stomach pains, as a result of their depression.

Motherhood is a shock to many women. They are now responsible for the welfare of a tiny human being, which can be daunting. Their whole loves will be affected, as well as the way they relate to other people. They also have to cope with massive hormonal changes in their bodies. But women are urged to seek help if they feel the symptoms, as PND can be alleviated by appropriate treatment and support for the new mother.

There is, however, a very rare mental health illness that can affect women after the becoming a new mother. Puerperal psychosis, also referred to as postpartum psychosis or postnatal psychosis, affects around one in 1,000 new mothers. It is similar to bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression. It can take the form of mania, severe depression and delusions, confusion or mood swings. Early signs can include feeling very excited and elated and not sleeping.

Puerperal psychosis can make it difficult for a woman to bond with her baby because it can begin just a few weeks after birth. Some evidence shows that the condition runs in families, and a medical history of problems such as bipolar disorder increases the woman’s risk of inheriting the condition. It is slightly more common in first pregnancies.

The mental health charity Mind says: "It is important to get appropriate help as quickly as possible, as there is an increased risk of suicide in this condition, and some mothers also kill their babies." Puerperal psychosis can be treated with antipsychotic drugs or antidepressants in hospitals. Most women recover within a few weeks, although it can take a long time to recover completely. Some will need to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital for treatment for psychosis, which may be associated with a pre-existing psychiatric disorder, or be a new illness.