For Tessa Staines becoming a mother was everything she hoped it would be, except for one thing.
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Following the birth of her children Cooper, 6, and Matilda, 4, Mrs Staines suffered postnatal anxiety and so the nightmare began.
The young Telarah woman spoke of her experience at Maitland Park yesterday as part of this week’s Postnatal Depression Awareness Week.
“With my first baby I started feeling really anxious two weeks before I was due to give birth and then, a year after Matilda was born, I spiralled out of control and things were a lot worse and lasted a lot longer,” Mrs Staines, 30, said.
Hosted by the Samaritans Foundation, the Mums on Drums event was designed to create awareness of the risk of depression and anxiety during and post pregnancy.
Mrs Staines said the community needs to start a discussion when it comes to postnatal depression and anxiety.
“Postnatal depression isn’t just about not being able to bond with your baby or not coping. For me it was like I was having a psychotic episode,” she said.
“Whenever a woman falls pregnant or has a baby there are a million people willing to tell you the details of the birth and all these personal things about your physical health, but not one person shared with me stories about their mental health,” she said.
Postnatal depression and anxiety affects one in 10 women and one in 20 men.
“We need to get to a point where recommending a psychiatrist should be like recommending an obstetrician,” Mrs Staines said.
“The experience of postnatal depression and anxiety is a big deal, but the issue is common. It’s not shocking and it’s not weird.”
WORLD-FIRST APP FOR MUMS
Maitland women are now able to access a world-first app designed to help manage the stress of pregnancy and reduce the risk of developing postnatal depression.
Created by beyondblue and Smiling Mind, Mind the Bump is the first mental health-related pregnancy app in the world to cover the ante and postnatal period and featuring Mindfulness Meditation.
“At least one in seven women will experience postnatal depression and up to one in 10 will experience it during pregnancy,” beyondblue CEO Georgie Harman said.
“Anxiety conditions are thought to be at least as common as depression during this time.
“Even for those who don’t experience mental health problems, pregnancy can often lead to feelings of uncertainty and fear.”
Mind the Bump has been designed by mental health professionals and is based on extensive research showing the benefits of mindfulness, which is the process of not worrying about the past or future and instead paying attention to the present moment, without judgement.
Visit the App Store or Google Play to download the free Mind the Bump app or visit www.mindthebump.org.au to learn more.
- New and expecting parents who need urgent support should contact the Post and Antenatal Depression Association’s helpline on 1300 726 306 or phone the beyondblue support service on 1300 22 4636.