Today, I was moved to do something which I had not done since 2008. I logged on to www.pni.org.uk. I searched back through the threads. And I found my posts. From back then. From the dark days. Those first steps towards getting better. It’s strange to read them now.
Mine is a personal story of my transition from independent newly-wed, through the anguish and depression of pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood… to the realisation that life, as I knew it, would never be the same again – not for me or my husband.
Every mother-to-be expects that once the baby arrives the constant discomfort and worry will stop. Your body will be your own again, and your anxieties will melt away when you’re holding that precious bundle. For most, I imagine that’s the case. For some, like me, it isn’t.
Dictated to and written By Cara Aitkins, with comments by Veritee.
Barry found it all very hard. He knows he never gave Veritee enough emotional support but never realized quite how bad her depression was. “ It was only when she got better and started talking to me about it that I knew. Although I did realize that Veritee was depressed, I thought it was due to the depressing birth experience and, thought she would get over it. It took me a year or so for me to truly realize. I still think she is suffering a bit – she is still angry about how things turned out and I know now that she will never get over it.
By Veritee Reed Hall (Founder of PNI ORG UK) in Sept. 1994 and edited in January 2000.
I think having a baby is potentially a very traumatic and stressful time for us all. It is essential to minimize the stress factors because too many and anyone can be triggered into depression. Unfortunately, I had so many stress factors, which I could do nothing about. I experienced the things, which are common to all mothers, which I see to be the factors listed below:
