Those dark "baby blue" days...

After the birth of a child a woman (or a man) has several dark days, commonly referred to as the "baby blues". They say it strikes between days three to five after the birth of your little bundle of joy and can last up to a week, sometimes shorter, sometimes longer.

It is such a hard time. There are tears, fears and more tears. You find yourself second guessing everything and having irrational thoughts. 

I felt that these feelings would never end and I would cry forever. It is such a fog that sits over you.

Sadly with my daughter the fog didn't clear for a long period of time and I was diagnosed with Post Natal Depression (PND). I didn't leave the house for weeks and didn't want to talk or see anyone.

After the recent birth of my son, Little Mr 0, I am taking every precaution to avoid another bout of PND. I regularly talk to close friends and family. I contacted a therapist shortly after his birth to put a plan in place to deal with the feelings that come with a newborn.

During these dark days I believe it is important to cry when you need/want to and talk about the feelings/thoughts that you are having.

There is also a lot of support available for parents suffering depression (it does affect fathers too) including your Early Childhood Centre, your local GP, Black Dog Institute, Beyond Blue, Lifeline, SANE Helpline, Baby Bumps, PANDA and many others.

If you or someone you know is suffering from PND, it is important to seek help straight away.

Do you have a story about PND?