I was so excited to find out I was pregnant! I had been with my partner for 5yrs, I was only 20 but have serious back problems and was told by a surgeon at the hospital to have a baby young (since he didnt think my back would cope with the recovery of pregnancy and childbirth). The pregnancy was horrible; terrible morning sickness, extreme back pain which caused pelvis trouble. At 7 months pregnant I was on crutches with pelvic belts and regular physio... With all this I was beyond excited to … [Read more...] about A Young Mums Story
ante natal metal health
Another Mother’s Story
Tell us about you- what was your adult life like prior to having a baby? Like Kristina I always knew I wanted to get married and have children. Pre baby I was extremely confident, I was really proud of what I had achieved with my life, and generally pretty happy chilled person. I met the man of my dreams and we married a few years after that, we had travelled a lot and both bought investment properties and very happy together. We decided after we got married that we would move to Australia, … [Read more...] about Another Mother’s Story
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?
Expectations on Mothers
Research has shown that a mother with high expectations of her labour/birth experience, motherhood (and herself as a mother) is more likely to develop post-natal depression and that we can assist pregnant mothers by helping them to develop more realistic expectations and prepare for the adjustment that motherhood brings. In the article “The New Parent”, Dawn Gruen recognizes what is termed a “Postpartum Adjustment”. She writes: “With birth comes the transition to parenthood, often … [Read more...] about Expectations on Mothers
