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Your Mental Health
After having a baby, many women feel moody, tearful, worried, and have trouble sleeping. This is called the "baby blues" and usually goes away in a few weeks after delivery.
If it does not go away or seems severe, talk to your family doctor or child and family health nurse.
Depression and anxiety are common mental health concerns for both women and men when planning a baby, when pregnant or after the birth of a baby. These can be treated with care and support.
Some signs of anxiety or depression:
- always worrying
- feeling very sad or hopeless
- losing interest in fun activities
- having trouble focusing or falling asleep
- thoughts of hurting yourself.
If you already have a mental health condition, there is a high chance that you will develop depression, anxiety or psychosis after birth.
Postpartum psychosis (a severe mental illness that can cause confusion and loss of touch with reality) occurs in approximately 1 in 1000 women after the birth of their baby.
Some of the symptoms of psychosis may include:
- being unable to sleep and eat
- feeling full of energy or restless
- unable to relax or stop moving
- feeling an intense need to get things done
- hearing voices
- feeling confused
- hallucinations
- irrational thoughts
- thoughts of harm to baby or self.
New dads can also have anxiety or depression. Everyone should check for symptoms.
If you ever think of harming yourself or the baby, get help right away. Call 000 in an emergency.
Your mental health matters. It affects your baby too. Tell your doctor about any symptoms. Help and treatment make a big difference.
Talk to your partner, family, friends. Join a new parent group. Use helplines. You're not alone. Support and information can help.
During pregnancy and after the birth of your baby, the health care providers you come into contact with will want to work with you to know any risk factors or early warning signs related to your mental health and wellbeing. As a parent, your mental health and wellbeing can affect your baby’s mental health and wellbeing. Getting help and following through with treatment and support plans will make a big difference to you, your baby and your whole family.
Most people with anxiety or depression benefit from one or a combination of the following:
- lifestyle changes and social support
- psychological or “talking” therapies
- medical treatments.
Mums can do a mental health checklist here.
Dads (and other carers) can do a mental health checklist here.
Relationship matters when you are a new parent
If you are raising a child with a partner, it's important you work well together.
- Respect each other's parenting styles.
- Support each other as parents. Share child care duties fairly.
- Work as a team for your child.
- Make couple time to focus just on your relationship.
- Talk openly about parenting.
- Show you are committed to each other and your child.
Making your relationship a priority creates a happier home for your child. It takes effort, but it's worth it. Staying partners in parenting is key.
