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(PND) Postnatal Depression is a very common problem after giving birth. There are three main types:- POSTNATAL DEPRESSION Postnatal depression is more serious than most people believe, and affects roughly one out of every 10 women. It can follow from the baby blues, but often begins a few weeks later, when you are at home trying to cope with being a mother. Symptoms include: 1. Feeling despondent 2. Hopeless and terribly tired 3. Anxiety, panic attacks 4. insomnia These are all signs that you might have Postnatal depression. THE BABY BLUES About half of all new mothers have a short period of baby blues, they may feel mild depression when they feel upset, emotional and tearful and for no apparent reason. It usually surfaces around the third to fifth day after childbirth and starts to lift within a week or so.

PUERPERAL PSYCHOSIS Puerperal psychosis is the most severe form of postnatal depression. It affects about one in every 500 new mothers, and starts suddenly within the first ten days of giving birth. Some women become very excited and overactive, while other women get seriously low and slump into a state of confusion. Hallucinations and delusions can also occur, usually that people are trying to harm the mother or her baby. There are no single answers to what causes the above-mentioned types of PND, doctors just don't know why some women fall prey to the illness, while other women escape. Probably a number of factors conspire to trigger it. PND is certainly related to the huge hormonal upheaval after childbirth, when oestrogen and progesterone levels plunge. It is possible that some women are sensative to these changes in their bodies. Other factors could be a history of depression, or difficult delivery, or premature or sick baby, also lack of support from a partner, money, work or even housing worries could all be factors. SIGNS TO LOOK FOR:- 1. Inability to cope 2. Sadness and frequent crying 3. General anxiety 4. Panic attacks 5. Constant tension and irritablity 6. Feeling tired all the time 7. Difficulty concentrating 8. Trouble sleeping 9. Loss of appetite