As many as one in six women will suffer from some sort of mental illness, either during their pregnancy or after the birth of their baby. This can take away the enjoyment of pregnancy and those special early months with baby and affects the whole family, not just the mother.
The good news is there is help available. There is professional help which you can access through your health visitor and GP. They will offer advice and support and if necessary refer you on to other agencies who can offer more specialist help.
How will I know if I'm suffering from postnatal depression?

I've written a list of symptoms below, but remember you've just have a new baby and are experiencing the ups and downs that go with this, so it's quite normal to have some these symptoms every now and then. However if have been suffering from some 3 or more of these symptoms for over a week, it's advisable that you contact your health visitor or GP.

•  Feeling sad and miserable
• Tearful
• Tired all the time/sleep disturbance (and not because of baby)
• Not being able to cope
• Feeling guilty and inadequate
• Anxiety
• Feelings of anger
• Not looking forward to things/lack of pleasure in things
• Poor concentration and forgetfulness
• Thoughts of self harm or of harming baby

If you do have any thoughts of self harm or of harming baby it is vital that you seek professional help immediately.

Why should I ask for help?

If you think your suffering from postnatal depression the sooner you ask for help, the sooner we can help you to feel better. Postnatal depression is an illness and just like any other illness it needs to be treated. Your health visitor sees mums with postnatal depression every day, so she's probably the best person to offer support and advice.

I sometimes see mums with their second babies, who only now admit to me that they suffered from postnatal depression with their first baby. They did not admit to it earlier, because they felt ashamed and thought that it made them look like a bad mother. They always say they wished they had asked for help and are now looking for advice to help prevent it from reoccurring this time.

Postnatal depression is nothing to be ashamed of, and you'll be amazed once you start talking about it, how many women will say they have also suffered from it and will share their experiences with you.

What can I do to help myself?

The list below will help to prevent postnatal depression and will also help to make you feel better if you are already suffering from it.

• Time out. Do something that's just for you and that you enjoy. This can be anything you fancy. For some mums it's just a long soak in the bath with no disturbances, for others a trip to the hair dressers and for others a night out with the girls.
• Sleep. I know this is easier said than done when you've got a new baby, but as with any illness, sleep is essential to recovery. Ask friends or family to take baby for a long walk so you can have a sleep. If you can't sleep in the day, then just a have lie down watching the TV or listening to music. Sleep when baby sleeps.
• Exercise. There's lots of research to show that exercise is great for your mental health, so even if you're feeling tired is worth trying to do some. You don't have to race of to the gym, a brisk walk with the pram is sufficient, but try to do this several times a week. (It's best waiting until after your 6 week postnatal check before exercising).
• Social contact. Make use of services at your local clinic, it's a great way to get to know other mums in the area and they can be a source of support for you. Ask your health visitor what's going on at your clinic. There may even be a local postnatal depression support group.

Ask for help. Having a new baby is demanding, so ask family and friends to help out with housework etc. Don't try to be super woman.

Talk about how your feeling. Just talking about your feelings can help. It doesn't matter who you talk to, it could be partner a friend or your health visitor.

There is lots of help out there to support you through postnatal depression, but it's up to you to make the first step and ask for help.

Fathers and Postnatal Depression