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Over half of post-natally depressed mums feel unsupported

Over half of post-natally depressed mums feel unsupported

More than half of post-natally depressed mums need more support

More than half (60%) of new mums suffering from postnatal depression said that they felt they didn’t receive the support they needed, a survey of 1,000 revealed.

In the study of 1,000 mums, nearly half (44%) admitted to feeling isolated once they’d given birth and six in 10 (60%) women said they suffered from a form of the baby blues. Of these, 23% said that the baby blues turned into post-natal depression.

The most common source of support for post-partum mums was noted as family members and friends, however the majority (62%) said they didn’t get the support or treatment they really needed. 

The main reasons for their isolation were listed as their partners working all the time (47%), the feeling that they had lost their personal identity having become a ‘mum’ rather than the individual person they used to be (39%), and one in four (26%) said it was because they didn’t feel there were enough places to go outside of their home that accommodate babies and young children.

In response Rachel Boyd, information manager from the mental health charity Mind, said: “Many parents worry about not bonding with their new baby, or that they’re not enjoying parenthood as much as they believe they should.”

The main symptoms of postnatal depression are: a persistent feeling of sadness and low mood; loss of interest in the world around you and no longer enjoying things that used to give pleasure; a lack of energy and feeling tired all the time.

“Having a child is never going to be plain sailing all the time, but it’s really important that new parents talk about their feelings… Although very common, far too often, new mums suffer in silence, but help is available,” Boyd added.

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More than half (60%) of new mums suffering from postnatal depression said that they felt they didn’t receive the support they needed, a survey of 1,000 revealed