Perinatal mental wellbeing

Perinatal describes the time from pregnancy up until a year after you’ve had your baby.

Pregnancy, birth and looking after a baby are life changing events and with it, which although are mostly positive, can also be challenging. Many new parents will go through a huge variety of emotions during this time and some may struggle.

If you are experiencing difficult feelings and they are having an effect on your daily life, it may be that you have mental health difficulties. Below is listed the range of mental health difficulties that new mothers may experience. 

Signs/symptoms of perinatal depression (PND)

• Feeling down and tearful
• Feeling unsettled or irritable
• A feeling of guilt and worthlessness
• Feeling alone and unable to relate to other people
• No longer feeling excited about things you usually enjoy
• Feeling low in confidence
• A feeling of hopelessness and despair
• Feeling hostile towards your partner or baby
• Unable to concentrate
• Difficulty getting to sleep even when baby is asleep
• Less interest in eating
• Reduced interest in sex
• Feeling suicidal

Treatment options for PND include medication and talking therapies. 

Signs/symptoms of perinatal anxiety

• An unsettled feeling in your stomach
• Having dizzy spells or feeling light headed
• Restlessness and an inability to concentrate
• A feeling of dread
• Aches and pains
• Breathing quickly
• Feeling your heart beat
• Sweating
• Difficulty getting to sleep even when baby is asleep
• Teeth grinding at night
• Feeling sick
• Panic attacks

Treatment for perinatal anxiety include medication and talking therapies. 

Signs/symptoms of Perinatal Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (P OCD)

Perinatal OCD can be split into two main components; obsessions and compulsions:

Obsessions:

• Experiencing intrusive thoughts about harming your baby
• Disturbing thoughts about sexually abusing your baby
• Worrying about giving your baby a disease
• Worrying you will make the wrong decisions about medical treatment/vaccinations

Although these things seem alarming, having these thoughts doesn’t mean you want to act on them or will act on them. 

Compulsions:

• Excessive washing of baby equipment
• Not changing your baby’s nappy when needed as you are worried about accidently touching your baby inappropriately
• Checking on your baby excessively
• Not allowing other people to go near your baby in fear that germs will be passed on or baby will get hurt
• Asking people for reassurance that your baby hasn’t been abused or hurt
• Constantly repeating the day in your head to reassure yourself that you haven’t hurt your baby

Treatment for OCD includes medication and talking therapy. 

Signs and symptoms of Perinatal Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

PTSD can occur if you have a particularly long and painful labour and birth especially if you didn’t feel in control of the situation. Emergency situations and unexpected events can contribute to symptoms of PTSD. You may feel that your baby being born safely helps to balance out your experience but some people will be affected by their experiences and it may affect their daily life.  There may be feelings of disappointment and it may make you feel anxious about having another baby. Symptoms include:

• Flashbacks/reliving the trauma
• Intrusive thoughts
• Difficulty sleeping even when baby is sleeping and nightmares
• Feeling physical pain, sweating, feeling sick, trembling
• Feeling on the edge or angry
• Hypervigilance (being extremely alert)
• Inability to concentrate
• Feeling jumpy
• General anxiety

Treatment for PTSD includes talking therapy, eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EDMR) and medication. 

Postpartum Psychosis

This is a rare, but serious mental health illness, which can happen after you have had your baby. It is sometimes referred to as Puerperal Psychosis. It usually involves a mixture of psychosis, depression and mania and can be very frightening and all encompassing for the mother and her family.

Symptoms of postpartum psychosis include:

• Rapid mood changes, extreme excitement to severe depression
• Feeling confused or disorientated
• Restlnessness
• Inability to sleep even when your baby is asleep
• Inability to concentrate
• Experiencing delusions or hallucinations

Some factors increase the chance of developing postpartum psychosis:

• Family history of mental health difficulties
• If you have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia
• Experiencing a traumatic pregnancy or birth
• You have previously developed postpartum psychosis

If you are suffering with any of these symptoms, it is important to seek medical help straight away.  There are lots of treatments for mothers including range of talking therapies, practical options such as baby massage and support and education groups, as well as medication. 

Find out more information about the perinatal mental health service in Herefordshire and Worcestershire and support networks, and various leaflets including perinatal mental health.