Dear Dr Mitchell, I had a baby four months ago and I’m in a dark place. I realised that I don’t want to be a wife or a mother, and was diagnosed with post-partum depression. But I don’t take my prescription because I don’t like the way it makes me feel. Is there any other treatment, like herbs, that I could use? My mother and husband have been taking care of my baby because I just can’t manage.

Congratulations on the birth of your blessed baby. Having a baby is such a wonderful blessing from God and will bring you immense joy and happiness in the long run to last a lifetime. This can often be a challenging and overwhelming experience for a lot of mothers. Caring for a newborn baby can be extremely demanding and I am happy that you do have the support of your mother and your husband.

Women go through a lot of physical and hormonal changes during pregnancy and after the delivery of their babies. This can often cause you to feel overwhelmed, tired, sometimes completely exhausted, and even experience feelings of depression. The depression is most times short-lived but can sometimes last for a much longer time and may call for professional help.

Some women have severe challenges with establishing and maintaining breastfeeding. This can result in feelings of helplessness and depression. It is extremely important to have support especially to do the other chores such as cooking, cleaning and having someone to care for the baby so that you can get the rest that you so badly need. Tiredness and exhaustion can lead to depression and interfere with successfully breastfeeding and caring for the newborn.

It is important to take the medication prescribed by the doctor even though it might make you feel somewhat different. These feelings will eventually subside. The use of herbs or other drugs is definitely not advised because the effect on the baby might be unclear and it might also interfere with the prescribed medication. The use of the prescribed medication is usually for a short period of time in most cases, so you should follow the guidelines given by your doctor and stay safe.

It is important to eat properly and take your prenatal vitamins and any other additional iron supplements that you were prescribed during the pregnancy. Drinking lots of liquids and staying well hydrated will definitely help with breastfeeding. The help offered by your mother and spouse is also vital in helping you to heal completely by getting the rest that you readily need.

You will soon start to enjoy being a mother and wife again and look forward to the stages of development of your amazing child.

God bless you and your family as you go through this period of healing and recovery.

Best regards.

Dr Sharmaine Mitchell is an obstetrician and gynaecologist. Send questions via e-mail to allwoman@jamaicaobserver.com; write to All Woman, 40-42 1/2 Beechwood Avenue, Kingston 5 or fax to 876-968-2025. All responses are published. Dr Mitchell cannot provide personal responses.

DISCLAIMER:

The contents of this article are for informational purposes only, and must not be relied upon as an alternative to medical advice or treatment from your own doctor.