Post natal depression... ?

Question

What can i do to best help a friend who thinks she has post natal depression? Aside from suggesting she see a professional (which i have all ready done..), what can i do or say to help her through this? Thanks. X x

Answer 1

Encourage her to spend time with other mums with kids about the same age, its soooo good to hear they are struggling with same issues! Also, find good things about her parenting ways to comment on, its so easy to feel like you're a c**p mum when you've got PND. A big part of PND is also the "loss of self" thing, like, there's no time for yourself, to do any of the things you normally like to do (read a book, go to movies, go shopping, have a facial, get her hair cut), you could offer to babysit for a couple of hours and make her go do smthg for herself, and not just once, kinda needs to be a semi-regular thing (even if thats only once a month) or at least a few times. Even is she's breastfeeding, get her to express a "meal" so that she can be away from the baby for at least 2 hours. Good of you to be there for her. Ooh yeah, another one is suggest she gets OUT often, so easy to stay stuck indoors but you always feel better getting out, even if its jsut a wlk down the strreet with the pram or  a walk to the park.  And also, is she sees a "professiona;" and it doesn't help, she might have the wrong one, you kinda need to gel with them so may need to try another one :)

Answer 2

Be there for her, assure her everything is going to be okay.

A lot of woman go through post natal depression due to the huge change in their life and the high amount of hormones in their body making them moody.

If there is anything bothering her in particular then address them.

Some women feel like they aren't attached to their babies and feel like there is something wrong with them.

It is also very easy to feel inadequate at the sign of any differences.

I would suggest she sees a doctor though.



Hope she is okay =]

Chloe.

Answer 3

A professional is her best bet.  Maybe you can give her the name of a professional then offer to babysit with her baby while she has her appointment. Sometimes when someone is depressed for any reason they can't do the simplest things like schedule an appointment and get themselves there.  Just like other depressions you can't talk yourself out of it.  In post natal depression sometimes time can take care of it but it might take as much as a year