Postnatal Depression week is 17-25 November. Our theme is “Breaking the Silence”… In the spirit of that theme, Mothers Helpers will be posting on our blog stories of mums who have battled postnatal depression. This is Ruth Sell's story... Before having kids I really believed I could handle anything. I was a successful Advertising executive, I had travelled the world on my own and had come through many personal challenges, I had never suffered serious depression. Not much was said about PND … [Read more...] about PND Can Happen to Anyone
ante natal distress
Lisa’s Story
Postnatal Depression week is 17-25 November. Our theme is "Breaking the Silence"... In the spirit of that theme, Mothers Helpers will be posting on our blog stories of mums who have battled postnatal depression. This is Lisa's story. I have always wanted to be a Mum. Right from when I was a teenager I can remember longing to have a baby. When I got married at 22, all that was on my mind was babies babies babies. It took a while to fall pregnant with my son, nearly a year. Trying to conceive … [Read more...] about Lisa’s Story
Girl, You Need a Break!
Why You Need a Break What an understatement! The reason why Mothers Helpers provides mums suffering from postnatal depression (with no support system to help) with volunteers to help with childcare and housework is simply because we know how vital having a regular break is to recovery. Motherhood is relentless. It is a 24hr/day, 7 days/week job. For many of us with young babies or with babies that don't sleep well, even night times are not our own to get sufficient rest. But too often, … [Read more...] about Girl, You Need a Break!
Keys to Preventing & Recovering from PND
Risk Factors for Postnatal Depression Those more at-risk of developing postnatal depression have one or more of the following: Previous Depressive episode Relationship/marriage difficulties Financial difficulties Poor family support Single mother Young mother (ie. under the age of 22yo) Having difficulty breastfeeding Baby with colic/reflux or illness Other significant stress, eg. death in the family If you are currently pregnant, Mothers Helpers can provide you with a wide range of … [Read more...] about Keys to Preventing & Recovering from PND
Why Should We Care about Postnatal Depression?
Our Current Situation There is not currently a lot of awareness about post-natal depression. The risk-factors, the symptoms and where to get help is not widely known. Many women go without diagnosis, and even when they are diagnosed, they don't know where to go for help. At best, they might go to their GP and start on anti-depressants - but anti-depressants alone are not the cure for PND, and they are not for everyone. Presently, Maternal Mental Health will only get involved with a mother … [Read more...] about Why Should We Care about Postnatal Depression?
Suffering in Silence: Kristina’s Story
These questions are 'borrowed' from a fantastic blog I discovered called "Beyond Postpartum" and I would recommend it to anyone interested in reading further. In many ways this story is a long time coming. I work in such professional circles in my job and my charity - and even in the Maternal Mental Health world I'm often quiet about my personal experiences because I am unsure whether another 'Health Professional' working in the field will judge me for having had a mental health … [Read more...] about Suffering in Silence: Kristina’s Story
