Carolina Mountford suspected something was wrong for months before going to her GP, but fear kept her “trapped in silence”. She was afraid of being judged if she spoke honestly about how overwhelmed and anxious she was feeling. More significantly, she was afraid her baby would be taken away from her. “I had no idea that there was amazing support available in the form of mother and baby units,” she tells me. So she tried to ignore it. But rather than dissipating, her feelings of despair intensified as the months went on. Mountford’s baby turned one, and by the time she did go to her GP, she was in “a desperate and very dark place – I was having suicidal thoughts”. The GP diagnosed her with delayed onset postnatal depression, though Mountford now thinks it was less a case of delayed onset than delayed diagnosis, “due to my inability to seek help, and no one noticing or asking how I was.”
Most new mothers experience what is known as the “baby blues”, as the sudden hormonal and life changes that come with childbirth prompt mood swings, crying spells and difficulty sleeping. Postnatal depression (PND) – also known as postpartum depression – may be mistaken for this at first, but, crucially, the baby blues tend to pass within a fortnight. PND is both more severe and longer lasting. Without support or treatment, it can develop into a debilitating mental disorder that interferes with a parent’s ability to bond with and care for their baby, or handle daily tasks and activities. It can cause panic attacks and suicidal ideation, and even lead a new parent to attempt to harm themselves or their child.
Yet, despite now being recognised by medical and mental health specialists alike as a debilitating condition affecting a significant minority of new parents, PND is also still shrouded in stigma, as well as being under-recognised, under-researched and often misunderstood. As Mountford says, there are specialised support units available for those suffering, but – as with other forms of mental health care, such as eating disorder clinics – these are reserved for people in crisis, and it can be difficult to access early, “non-urgent” treatment.
