How to know when it is more than just baby blues
Becoming a new parent is an exciting and often anxious time in a couple's life, however, for some mothers, it can be a truly difficult experience.
Postnatal depression (or PSD as it's known) is a term that is often discussed but when do we know it is more than just baby blues and how do you help someone going through it?
To help shed some light on the issue, Dermot and Dave chat to Expert Health Advisor Irene Lowry, who is the CEO and co-founder of Nurture Health, for #MindYourselfNow
Nurture Health is a nationwide counselling and training support service in Ireland mainly focusing on counselling women struggling with their mental health around conception, pregnancy and childbirth health related issues.
Irene reveals the alarming statistic that PND affects over 18,000 mothers in Ireland annually, with thousands more going undiagnosed; "there's a lot of women who actually don't know what's wrong with them. They just keep going".
She continues to explain how this progressive illness can really take hold and break a relationship if the correct steps are not taken; "professional help is absolutely paramount".
"Baby blues are for the first fourteen days after you have a baby (for a woman)", Irene adds, saying it's a natural hormone level come down, and recommends ladies seek help if symptoms have not subsided after this two week window.
But what are the symptoms?
- Tiredness all the time / Problems sleeping (most common)
- Feeling sad, anxious and alone
- Feeling guilty, irritable and angry
- Panic attacks
- Not enjoy being with loved ones and/or at times your baby
- Poor concentration
- Crying easily
- Loss of appetite
The most important piece of information the expert wanted to get across to the men and women of Ireland is that;
It's NOT a woman's fault. They have absolutely NO control over it
They also touch on the topics of Prenatal Depression and Postnatal Anxiety.
For more information and help, check out the Nurture Health website by clicking here.
You can listen to Irene's incredible advice by pressing the play button on screen.
