Postnatal

- Everyone's experience of pregnancy, birth and parenting is different.

- It is normal to experience a degree of anxiety and ‘ups and downs’ when expecting a baby and after the baby is born. However, some people develop a more pronounced anxiety or lowered mood which can affect their daily life and functioning.

- When this occurs during pregnancy it is known as antenatal anxiety or depression.  After birth, it is called postnatal anxiety or depression.

-When anxiety or depression begins sometime in the year after birth it is referred to as postnatal anxiety or postnatal depression. More than 1 in 7 new mums and up to 1 in 10 new dads experience postnatal depression and anxiety.

-If you are experiencing postnatal depression, practical and emotional support can be very helpful, to help give you some time, space and energy to devote to yourself. But often this is not enough to help you to recover, so accessing effective treatment for postnatal depression early, is an important step towards recovery.

 -Accessing treatment for antenatal or postnatal depression early is an important step towards recovery.

-The type of treatment and time required will depend on a range of factors including your personal situation, the severity of your symptoms, and how you respond to treatment.

- If you are experiencing mild depression, supportive counselling can be very helpful, as you are given an opportunity to talk through how you are feeling and thinking with someone who can understand and listen to you in a non-judgmental way.

-Postnatal anxiety and depression can be a frightening and isolating experience as parents try to deal with their symptoms at the same time as needing to care for a new baby and sometimes other children as well. There are treatments and supports available to help you through this experience.

-Let’s explore your feelings in a safe confidential environment. Call now to discuss how we can work together.