Professional help for PND mothers

Doctor

Tell the doctor all the symptoms which are troubling you, as this will help him to correctly diagnose the illness.

Health Visitor

Health Visitor’s can offer support to mothers and can visit them in the comfort of their own home, so allowing them to talk about their feelings.

Medication

Anti-depressants can be extremely useful in aiding recovery. Some women may be anxious about taking medication in fear of becoming addicted to the drugs but please take note that anti-depressants are not addictive as you are being treated for an illness. The same way if you had high blood pressure you would take medication to bring the blood pressure down. As regards to sleeping pills or tranquilizers these can be an invaluable aid in re-establishing healthy sleep patterns. Always seek the advice of your doctor or psychiatrist before taking any medication. If you find yourself searching online about medication which is a very normal symptom of anxiety, remember this is not helpful as every person is unique and only your doctor or psychiatrist can advise you.

Counseling

If your depression is mild, counseling alone may help to lift it. Postnatal depression support groups are extremely helpful. They can help to reduce feelings of isolation as being aware that other women have had similar thoughts and feelings can be hugely reassuring. You can ask for a referral to the Community Mental Health team who should have expertise in this area and will be able to help on all areas of Postnatal Depression. 

Thank you again for all your very kind and invaluable help through a very difficult time.  It was fantastic to meet you and I think of you often.

A mum suffering from PND