Peri Natal & Post Partum Depression
PND is a mental health condition which affects up to 1 in 10 mothers. It can often be mistaken for the ‘baby blues’, which is a short period of feeling low, anxious, and irritable and affects 80% of new mums. PND is when these feelings last for much longer, can vary from mild to severe and it can affect women in different ways.
Sometimes there is an obvious reason for PND, but not always. You may feel distressed, or guilty for feeling like this, as you expected to be happy about having a baby. However, PND can happen to anyone and it is not your fault.
It’s never too late to seek help. Even if you have been depressed for a while, you can get better. The help you need depends on how severe your illness is.
Here in Guernsey, our PND Support Group offers assistance through peer support. Our pool of experienced and trained volunteers are accessible via a variety of channels: telephone, email, closed Facebook Group, face to face private meetings and regular coffee evenings.
A UK poll of 1,000 mothers and pregnant women found that 42% had never told their doctor or midwife about their symptoms of depression as they felt guilty, embarrassed or worried that others would judge them, think them mentally ill and take their children away. In a small community here in Guernsey, we are only too aware of how a stigma can prevent people from seeking the help they need.
Our support group can:
- Listen
- Empathise
- Arrange to meet with you/your family
- Offer Practical Support
- Suggest Coping Methods
- Reassure you
- Put you in contact with other new mums
- Provide peer support with our closed group online so you can talk to other mums who are experiencing/have experienced PND.
