When your baby has been born
Mental health after birth
Common mental health experiences
Some women experience mental health issues after having a baby, it is very common to have some experience of deteriorating mental health in the weeks following the birth of your baby. Some women find these symptoms pass quickly, others need more in depth support with either talking therapies, medication or admission to hospital.
Baby blues is where your mood is low and this is common in few days after giving birth. It happens in 3-8 in every 10 women. This is normally mild and goes away by itself within 2 weeks or less. During this time, you may be struggling to sleep, cry more than usual, feel anxious, be irritable, struggle to concentrate, or find your mood is changing a lot. This experience will be different from person to person. If this lasts more than 2 weeks, it could be a sign of postnatal depression. With any major life changing event there is going to be an impact on you but it is important to look out for any signs that could indicate something isn’t right.
Postnatal depression or anxiety is a spectrum of mental health problems and everyone will experience slightly different symptoms. Around 15-20 in 100 women will experience depression and anxiety in the first year after childbirth. If you have had struggles with mental health previously you may be more likely to experience problems postnatally. You may find you no longer have interest in the things you once did, you may have low mood and exhibit physical and behavioural symptoms also. This can start from the day you give birth all the way up until 1 year postpartum, it often develops gradually.
Some women will experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following birth. This is a condition that happens when someone has been exposed to a traumatic event and the negative feelings that you would expect to have after such an event don’t go away. This can start to affect and interfere with your daily life. An instrumental vaginal birth is a risk factor for PTSD. This could be for many reasons but may be due to feeling a loss of control. Some women will have fears about a future pregnancy/birth.
Post-partum psychosis affects 0.1 in 100 women after giving birth and it usually starts within 2 weeks of giving birth. Women who already have bipolar disorder are at a greater risk of this condition. These symptoms can include being excited or elated, being unusually chatty, feeling like your thoughts are racing, feeling really fearful or paranoid, not behaving like you normally would, or having heightened senses. If you, or someone you know exhibits signs like this, it is important to seek out help.
References:
Depression - antenatal and postnatal. NICE. Accessed November 20, 2023. https://www.nice.org.uk/cks-uk-only
Postnatal depression. nhs.uk. Published February 15, 2021. Accessed November 20, 2023. https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/post-natal-depression/overview/
Postnatal depression | Royal College of Psychiatrists. www.rcpsych.ac.uk. Accessed November 20, 2023. https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/mental-illnesses-and-mental-health-problems/post-natal-depression
Postpartum psychosis for carers | Royal College of Psychiatrists. www.rcpsych.ac.uk. Accessed November 20, 2023. https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/mental-illnesses-and-mental-health-problems/postpartum-psychosis-in-carers
Postnatal care - Formula feeding information and support. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng194/evidence/t-formula-feeding-information-and-support-pdf-326764486011#:~:text=Breastfeeding%20is%20known%20to%20have,breast%20cancer%20in%20the%20mothers
Assisted vaginal birth (ventouse or forceps). Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. https://www.rcog.org.uk/for-the-public/browse-our-patient-information/assisted-vaginal-birth-ventouse-or-forceps/
Depression - antenatal and postnatal: What else might it be? NICE. Accessed October 21, 2023. https://www.nice.org.uk/cks-uk-only
Antenatal and postnatal mental health: clinical management and service guidance | Guidance | NICE. Published December 17, 2014. Accessed November 24, 2023. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg192
Antenatal care | Guidance | NICE. Published August 19, 2021. Accessed November 24, 2023. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng201
Murphy DJ, Strachan BK, Bahl R, on behalf of the Royal College of Obstetricians Gynaecologists. Assisted Vaginal Birth. BJOG 2020;127:e70–e112.
Fernado RJ, Sultan AH, et al on behalf of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. The Management of Third-and-Fourth-Degree Perineal Tears. BJOG 2015
