PND: Your Most Asked Questions Answered

BLUE MUMDAYS

Season 2 launches with a Q&A with Liz Wise, specialist PND Counsellor and founder of the Cedar House Support Group.

I put your most asked questions to Liz in this special episode, from "How do I know it's PND?" to "How long will recovery take?"

Demystifying the illness and dispelling the myths, this episode is 'all you wanted to know about PND but were too afraid to ask'.

*TRIGGER WARNING: POSTNATAL DEPRESSION*

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

[00:00] BMDs intro

[00:17] Introduction to Liz Wise

[02:25] "How do I know it's PND?"

[03:31] "How does it differ from the Baby Blues?"

[04:10] "Will my baby be taken away from me?"

[05:16] "How common is PND?"

[07:05] "What are the risk factors for developing perinatal illness?"

[11:03] "Is postnatal depression like other forms of depression?"

[11:35] "How many years need to go by before it's no longer PND?"

[15:00] "Is it important to seek help?"

[16:40] "What about antidepressants?"

[20:41] "What support is available?"

[24:09] "What percentage of men suffer from it?"

[25:15] "What are the triggers of PND?"

[28:02] "How does PND affect your bond with your baby?"

[29:40] "Are there any positives to having PND?"

[30:53] "How long does it take to recover from PND?"

[33:20] "What percentage of women make a recovery?"

[33:31] "Is it possible for PND to come back, but only experience it with your first child?"

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

1. The 'Baby Blues' affects about 1 in 2 women and typically occurs between days 3 and 7 following the birth. It's a chemical change when the breastmilk comes in and the symptoms usually subside by day 14. If these feelings get worse or aren't going away, please speak to your GP to get support.
2. Your baby will not be taken away from you if you open up about how you are feeling - that's a myth.
3. Research shows that around 20% of women (1 in 5) are affected by PND and other perinatal mental health issues, but many more suffer in silence.
4. 1 in 10 fathers are officially affected by postnatal depression - there are likely to be many more who don't talk about it.
5. Risk factors can include: a previous history of depression, IVF and fertility treatment, women who have lost their mother pre-puberty (or have a distant or dysfunctional relationship with them), births of multiples and the lack of a supportive relationship.
6. Many women Liz has seen have had an unresolved issue or trauma from the past.
7. Members of the LGBTQ+ community can have increased susceptibility, due to the lack of support around them.
8. PND shares many symptoms with generalised depression and is defined as "a depressive episode after childbirth".
9. PND is typically a temporary episode that you completely recover from, with the right support. If it's not dealt with, it can continue, so the sooner you seek support the better. It's never too late to seek support for having PND or birth-related trauma from the past.
10. Reaching out for help is a strength, not a weakness. There is no shame in it and it's hugely important to get support as early as possible.
11. In Liz's 30 years of helping women with PND, she's found antidepressants really helpful with recovery. There are lots of different types of medication you can try - it's a myth they will change your personality, but they should make you feel like your old self again.
12. Support options can include counselling, therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, medication, homeopathy, accupuncture and peer support groups, like Cedar House. It can be a great comfort to be amongst others suffering and realise you are not alone.
13. The majority of women with PND and postnatal anxiety have 'hooks' over issues like breastfeeding, bonding, lack of sleep, health issues, weaning and many others.
14. It's a myth that women with postnatal depression don't love their babies - the majority do not experience attachment issues. For those who do struggle to bond with their baby, those feelings will come through - be reassured that they always come.
15. Many people who have experienced PND would not be without the experience - they've found it has had a positive impact in their lives, especially with their children. It has taught them awareness of themselves, their mental health and emotions and has made them attentive to other people's emotions.
16. Recovery can't be predicted as everyone is different. However recovery can take time and it isn't linear. There will be lots of ups and downs.
17. When women get to about 70% recovery, it's common to follow a long period of feeling good with a dip. This is often related to premenstrual symptoms and doesn't mean you are 'going backwards'.
18. According to Liz, the recovery rate from PND is happily 100%.

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NEXT EPISODE:

Next time I'm joined by the wonderful Christine Cunningham of Perinatal Wellbeing Ontario. Despite sailing through motherhood with her first two children, Christine went on to suffer postnatal depression and anxiety with the birth of her third. She also talks about the discovery of her ADHD (a recent diagnosis) and the affect this has on her parenting.

SUPPORT:

If you are struggling right now, please know that it’s okay to talk and reach out for help.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE AND WILL NOT FEEL THIS WAY FOR EVER.

We hope these support services are helpful (please note we do not check or monitor them individually).

Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP)

Moderated Forum, click here to find out more.

Email: [e-mail]

Tel: [phone]

AIMS for better birthing.

Email: [e-mail]

This email will go to a group of AIMS volunteers and someone will respond as soon as possible.

Telephone: [phone]

You will be able to leave a voicemail message which will be sent to all our Helpline Volunteers. Please include your name, phone number and brief details of your enquiry. A Volunteer will try to call you back as soon as possible.

Andy's Man Club

A non-judgemental talking group for men

https://andysmanclub.co.uk/club-information/clubs/

Email: [e-mail]

Association of Postnatal Illness

Helpline: 10am – 2pm – 0207 386 0868

Email: [e-mail]

Live chat online facility

Best Beginnings

Free NHS-accredited Baby Buddy app offering

evidence-based information and self-care tools to help parents during pregnancy

and early stages of parenting.

App users also have access to a confidential, text-based Crisis Messenger which provides

24/7 support for new and expectant parents who are feeling extremely anxious or overwhelmed.

Bi-Polar UK

email: [e-mail]

Birth Trauma Association

Email: [e-mail]

CALM

Contact CALM

on their national helpline: 0800 58 58 58 (5pm-midnight)

Cedar House Support Group

Email: [e-mail] (Liz Wise)

Mobile: [phone]

Contact: for families with disabled children

Support, advice and information for parents with disabled children.

• helpline: 0808 808 3555
• website: https://contact.org.uk/

DadsNet

Offers support and knowledge through a community of dads on practical parenting and fatherhood.

Family Lives

An organisation providing immediate help from volunteer parent support workers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

• helpline: 0808 800 2222
• website: www.familylives.org.uk

Family Rights Group

Support for parents and other family members whose children are involved with or need social care services.

• helpline: 0808 801 0366
• website: www.frg.org.uk

Fathers Reaching Out

https://www.reachingoutpmh.co.uk/

Run by Mark Williams, campaigner, speaker and writer, offering support to dads.

FiveXMore

A grassroots organisation committed to changing Black women and birthing people’s maternal health outcomes in the UK.

Email: [e-mail]

Gingerbread

Single parents, equal families. Help and advice on the issues that matter to lone parents.

• helpline: 0808 802 0925
• website: www.gingerbread.org.uk

The Hub of Hope

A directory of mental health support around the UK.

LGBT Mummies

Supporting LGBT+ women & people globally on the path to motherhood or parenthood.

Email: [e-mail]

Make Birth Better (Birth Trauma Support)

Email: [e-mail]

Maternal OCD

Peer support available, email [e-mail] to

arrange

Mayah's Legacy

Supporting and empowering anyone who has experienced pregnancy loss to advocate for themselves.

Email: [e-mail]

0300 102 1596

The Motherhood Group

Dedicated to sharing and supporting the black maternal experience through peer support, projects and advocacy.

[e-mail]

Motivational Mums Club

Offering Trauma, Mindfulness and Meditation sessions for Mothers and Mums to be with an NHS Mental Health Specialist, who’s also a Mother.

[e-mail]

Music Football Fatherhood

Open conversations around fatherhood, including blogs, peer support and podcasts.

[e-mail]

Muslim Women’s Network

Helpine: 0800 999 5786, open Mon-Fri 10am –

4pm with support offered in English, Urdu, Punjabi, Mirpuri, Putwari, Hindko,

and Bengali.

Email: [e-mail]

Online chat: www.mwnhelpline.co.uk

Text: 07415 206 936

Netmums

Netmums offer peer support via their Maternal Mental Health Drop-In

Clinic.

NHS

Contact your local GP surgery.

Call the NHS on 111

or contact a local NHS urgent mental health helpline

If you are in crisis, visit Accident & Emergency at your nearest hospital.

PANDAS

Helpline open from 9am-8pm every day – 0843 2898 401

Email support available – [e-mail]

Petals

Petals offers free-of-charge specialist counselling to anyone who has experienced pregnancy

or baby loss.

Web: petalscharity.org/counsellingcontact/

Email: [e-mail]

Tel: [phone]

Samaritans

Tel: 116 123

(this is a free telephone number and will not appear on the phone bill)

Web: www.samaritans.org

Email: [e-mail]

Sands Charity

Emotional and practical support for anyone affected by the death of a baby.

0808 164 3332

Email: [e-mail]

Shout

Text SHOUT to 85258 to start a confidential conversation with a trained Shout volunteer.

Twins Trust

Twinline is Twins Trust’s listening service for parents of twins, triplets and more. All

the calls are answered by volunteers who have multiples themselves.

Twinline is open Monday to Friday 10am to 1pm and from 7pm to 10pm. 0800 138 0509,

alternatively email [e-mail].

Web: twinstrust.org/let-us-help/support/twinline.html

Tommy’s

Tommy’s has a team of in-house midwives who offer free support and information for women and their families at any stage of pregnancy and after the birth.

Web: www.tommys.org

Helpline: Tommy’s

helpline has been closed temporarily but their midwives are answering questions

via email, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Email: [e-mail]

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