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Postnatal psychosis (also known as postpartum or puerperal psychosis) is a rare condition affecting around 1 or 2 women in every thousand.
It's a serious illness that requires urgent treatment.
Most people know very little about postnatal psychosis so it can come as a shock. It can often occur suddenly without a history of mental illness.
Understanding postnatal psychosis can better prepare families in the event of an episode.
After our first son was born, I gradually lost all connection with reality. There was no history of mental illness in our family. This came completely out of the blue and hit our family like a tropical cyclone.
Having a baby. Arguably one of the largest lifestyle changes an adult can experience.
To help new and would be-parents we spoke to Jenni Richardson, the National Helpline Manager with Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia.
Her tips are . . .
Being a parent is challenging.
Change occurs in every area of wellbeing - physical, emotional and social - and the impact can be overwhelming.
Knowing when and how to speak up about the difficulties of parenting is difficult. Expectations define parenthood as something to be enjoyed, but sometimes these expectations don't match reality.