As many as 8 out of 10 mothers get the ‘baby blues’, often about three to five days after the birth. You might feel upset, mildly depressed, or just keep bursting into tears for no apparent reason. It usually only lasts for a few days.
Around 1 in 10 mothers become depressed. This is usually mild but sometimes can be quite severe. You must get help if you are taken over by a feeling of sadness and hopelessness, you feel irritable and anxious, or you have difficulty sleeping and coping with even the smallest task.
Help and support
If you think you are depressed, contact your GP or health visitor and explain how you are feeling. Your partner or a friend could contact them for you if you want. You can also contact the Association for Post-Natal Illness for more advices.
If you have twins or triplets, you are more likely to experience postnatal and longer-term depression. This is mainly because of the additional stress of caring for more than one baby. Just getting out of the house can be difficult when you have more than one baby, and this can make you feel isolated. Tamba can help you make contact with other mothers of multiples via local twins clubs and through their helpline – Tamba Twinline – where you can talk to other mothers of multiples. You may also find it helpful to contact the Multiple Births Foundation.
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