Postpartum Recovery: Low Mood and Postnatal Depression
This blog post is taken from a Postpartum Masterclass hosted by midwife Shaheda Yasmeen-Khan
One of the scariest things about birth is thinking about what comes next. Many of us have heard stories about the “baby blues” or postnatal depression, and even just the thought of experiencing these situations can feel overwhelming or frightening.
The mood fluctuations that can happen after birth can cause some people to feel unattached from their baby, to not want to go out or see anyone and to lack concentration and appetite. It can feel confusing and destabilising to experience emotions fluctuating so much. Some people also find that these experiences can impact their relationships with their partner, friends and family. And in some cases, these experiences can also lead to suicidal thoughts or suicidal ideation.
It’s important to know though, that not everyone who has a baby experiences mental ill health, and that there is also a clear difference between low mood (also often referred to as “the baby blues”) and postnatal depression.
Low mood aka the “baby blues”
The “baby blues” usually occur soon after birth and tend to go away naturally after a couple of weeks. This is often experienced when there is a change in hormones, such as your pregnancy hormones shutting down after the placenta is delivered and the breastfeeding hormones taking over.
This low mood may make you feel unattached from your baby, make you not want to go out, not want to see anyone, feel like your emotions are all over the place, cause you to lack concentration and appetite, and also affect your relationship with your partner or friends. It is very normal to experience low mood after a change in hormones (think about how you may sometimes feel when you have your period). But a lot of birthing people find it easy to perk up from this - it can help to spend time with people and do things you love.
Here are some other ways to beat the blues which don’t require lots of energy or resources:
Sleep as much as you can - don’t worry about those dishes, if baby is sleeping, sleep too
Eat well - this one may seem like a redundant point, but, what we put in our tanks really affects our minds
Don’t be afraid to ask for help - lean on the people around you and let them help, you don’t have to do everything yourself
Go outside - very simple, but fresh air really does work wonders for our brains and our emotions
Talk to people - this doesn’t have to be a therapist or counsellor, this could be your mum, a friend, your partner, or anyone you have a connection with and feel safe to offload to
Do the things you love - think of things pre-baby that made you happy and try and find some time to do these things if you’re able to. Equally though, don’t put too much pressure on yourself to jump straight back into these things if it feels too much.
Postnatal depression (also known as PND)
Postnatal depression is more serious and can be a lot more scary. If after a couple of weeks, you are still feeling down, this could be postnatal depression gradually creeping in. According to the NHS, postnatal depression can lead to a whole manner of things, including:
A persistent low mood
A lack of enjoyment
A disinterest in the world
Trouble sleeping
Withdrawing from people
Problems with decision making and concentration
Frightening thoughts - like hurting yourself or your baby
That sounds terrifying, we know. But giving birth is a huge task for your body, and it’s totally reasonable that it’s going to affect your mind too. One of the most worrying things about postnatal depression is that many people who experience it don’t realise they have it. In a lot of cases, it will be someone else who will recognise it, such as a partner, friend, midwife or health visitor. So, with that in mind, it’s important to remember that even if you can’t recognise it in yourself, if someone else thinks you might be suffering, maybe it’s time to listen to them and seek support.
However, there is good news. There is help and support for women and birthing people with postnatal depression. If you, or someone else close to you, suspects that you’re experiencing postnatal depression, then it’s important to seek professional support. The first place to get this is via your GP, midwife or health visitor. You may then be referred to one of the following:
A self-help course
Therapy such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
Antidepressant medication (doctors will only prescribe medicine which is safe to take while breastfeeding)
A couple of really helpful organisations for help and advice are:
Just as important as accessing support, is remembering that it is not your fault if you are struggling, and that you are not alone. Many women and birthing people experience low mood or postnatal depression after birth, and having these experiences does not make you a bad parent. Depression is an illness just as valid as any other. Be kind to yourself, listen to the people around you, seek help when you need it, and make yourself aware of the support that is there, should you need to access it.
This is a tiny snippet of the information you’ll find in The Postpartum Pack, our fully comprehensive online course to guide you through the fourth trimester. This course also comes with a free 15 minute call to one of our midwives and access to a private peer support group on Facebook for ongoing solidarity with other parents. Sign up here.
Get more advice from Shaheda by watching the full Masterclass with her here. Or follow Shaheda on Instagram here.