You should thank your lucky stars that we are not living in the age of 50 years ago when Postnatal Depression was looked down upon. Imagine how hard it would be to reach out for help if the general view was that you were rejecting your baby? Today, there is a lot more help available, whether it is books, counseling or just joining a friendly mother's or parent's group to discuss problems and fears.
When I first discovered that I had Postnatal Depression I was suffering from the same classic symptoms such as feeling out of control, low self esteem, headaches, heart palpitations, panic attacks, being very short tempered and not feeling a great affection for my constantly crying baby. Other symptoms you might feel can include a feeling of loss of self, an inability to get anything done, feeling like a prisoner in your own home, loss of appetite and worst of all thoughts of hurting yourself or your baby.
The causes of Postnatal Depression are varied but the most common ones are:
* A family history of depression
* Having no support either from your partner or family/friends
* Being a highly organized and disciplined person before the birth of your baby may increase your risk, because babies often don't agree to being organized by anyone
* A constantly crying or unsettled baby
* Disappointment due to the birth not going how you planned or being unable to breastfeed.
* Hormone imbalance
* Lack of quality sleep.
It is vital that if you feel you are suffering from any of the above symptoms to get help because I can assure you that ignoring them, will not help you! Find someone that you can talk to in the medical field that you feel comfortable with, be it an Early Childhood Nurse, your family doctor or a counseling service. There are many avenues that you can go down to recovery but the most important first step is reaching out for help.
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