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AV Baby content is for information only. If you are at all worried about your baby, please seek the advice of your midwife, doctor or paediatrician.

Breastfeeding And Postpartum Depression

Postnatal (or postpartum) depression is devastating for any new mother. Some studies show that a baby born to a mother who suffers from depression often suffers from a specific set of problems in later childhood, such as emotional difficulties, behavioral problems and slower development of their key communication skills.  

The good news: breastfeeding has a protective effect for moms. When breastfeeding moms suffer from depression, their symptoms are likely to be less pronounced and the duration of the depression shorter. Breastfeeding helps the mother to bond with her baby through continued skin-to-skin contact.  

Postpartum depression does call for treatment, however, as it may not be resolved on its own. If you are concerned about your own welfare or that of your baby, see your doctor immediately. Postpartum depression is common, treatable, and you will not be judged. If your depression is less severe, try the following: 

Exercise

Several studies have proven that exercise can be effective in treating depression. Moderate exercise for around thirty minutes a day, three times a week, could make a big difference. The problem is that when you are depressed the last thing you feel like doing is exercising! This is where family can help, with the mother being encouraged to engage in exercise without feeling pressured – on a family bike ride, for example, or swimming with the baby. 

Talking it through

The power of talking it out should not be underestimated. Many new moms suffer in silence, afraid of their depressive thoughts, and worried that others may judge them unsuitable to care for their babies – when nothing could be further from the truth. Finding a good friend, family member, or counselor to talk to is a constructive first step out of depression. If this is impossible, try writing in a diary or journal every day. Don’t monitor your thoughts, just get it all down. Rip it up after if you are worried about others reading your thoughts, the important thing is just to get it out. 

You could also try making friends on a new mother's online forum or network, where you will find many other mothers who have been through what you are going through (and felt what you are feeling). Try www.mumsnet.co.uk or www.cafemom.com - but please remember that any advice you are given is not necessarily professional advice, and take it accordingly!

Medication

Doctors have a whole range of treatments in their arsenal against post partum depression, including counseling and medication. Drugs such as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) are extremely successful in treating depression. The new wave of these drugs, developed on the back of the success of Prozac, have far less side effects, are easier to withdraw from once the depression has eased, and make an enormous difference to the life of a depressed mother within a matter of weeks. Your doctor will advise you on the right course of treatment – the important thing is not to suffer alone.

You might also be interested in:

Read our Diary Of A New Mum and discover what happens when Jessica-Ann comes home from the hospital and during her first year at home. This fun read is perfect for new mums and experienced mums alike! New episodes weekly.
Diary Of A New Mum

More about Feeding Your Baby

More about Newborn Babies

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