It is not uncommon for mothers to feel somewhat "down" for a few days following childbirth. A combination of hormones, a natural feeling of anti-climax following the excitement of birth and several nights of sleep deprivation can easily lead to negative feelings. For most women this will pass naturally. However, some women will experience a period of depression that is more severe. Sometimes it comes on gradually, sometimes suddenly. It may last for days, weeks, or months.
Severity can range from a general feeling of sadness or apathy to feelings of worthlessness and thoughts of suicide. Where postnatal depression stops and ordinary clinical or major depression begins is unclear. Generally speaking, the longer it lasts, the more it is likely to lead to clinical depression, so early intervention is encouraged.
Postnatal depression is more common in mothers who have previously had episodes of clinical or major depression or a history of depression in the family. It is also more common in mothers who have:
- an unplanned pregnancy
- been faced with congenital complications with the baby
- experienced stressful life events during the pregnancy
- limited support networks.
Symptoms and characteristics
Typical symptoms of postnatal depression are similar to those listed for clinical or major depression and include:
- an unusually sad mood that does not go away
- difficulty concentrating or making decisions
- a loss of enjoyment and interest in activities that used to be enjoyable
- a lack of energy and tiredness
- loss of appetite
- irritability with the new baby, other children or partner
- feelings of being ‘worthless’ or ‘hopeless’
- loss of confidence or poor self esteem
- feeling guilty when not really at fault
- moving more slowly or, sometimes, becoming agitated and unable to settle
- having sleeping difficulties or, sometimes sleeping too much
- suicidal thoughts in severe cases.
For more information on some of these symptoms and characteristics, please refer to the following links:
Workplace solutions and adjustments
In the workplace there are various factors that would greatly assist people with postnatal depression better manage their symptoms. These include; flexible work arrangements such as providing leave, reducing responsibilities or workload and subsequent stress levels, re-structuring the work environment, for example, using privacy screens or using organizers to reduce clutter and a good support network.
There are solutions and adjustments for the following job requirements:
References
Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, Mental Health Council Inc. and Betty Ann Kitchener and Anthony Francis Jorm at ORYGEN Research Centre, University of Melbourne 2006, Mental Health First Aid in the Workplace – an e-learning course, Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, Canberra.
beyondblue 2011, What is postnatal depression?, beyondblue, Sydney, viewed 10 August 2011, http://www.beyondblue.org.au/index.aspx?link_id=94.
Netdoctor 2010, Postnatal depression, NetDoctor.co.au, online, viewed 10 August 2011, http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts/depressionpostnatal.htm.