You’ve heard of postnatal depression and the more common “baby blues” condition affecting more mothers. But what about feeling blue while still pregnant?
While you might brush off mood swings or attribute feeling low as part of the whole hormonal shift that being pregnant entails, what you’re feeling is actually more common than you think. In fact, antenatal depression strikes 1 in 5 Mummas in Singapore.
What causes antenatal depression?
Even if you’ve been planning to have a baby for years or have even sought fertility treatments in order to get pregnant doesn’t mean that you’d necessarily be 100 percent overjoyed all the time once pregnant. It could even exacerbate feelings of sadness or anxiety if there has been difficulty conceiving or had past miscarriages.
Pregnancy is a time when mothers undergo significant physical, emotional as well as mental changes that come with growing a foetus in their body. Depression during this time may occur for a variety of reasons. However, it may particularly affect young (especially teen) mothers or those experiencing their first pregnancy, women who have had a history of depression, Mums who are facing a complicated or difficult family or those who are facing a lot of stressors at home or at work, with people in their lives being unsupportive of the pregnancy.
Where to seek help
Having someone to talk to in a safe space and with non-judgement can help you manage these low feelings. If you have a trusted friend or a neutral third-party who may be able to provide that for you, don’t be afraid to ask. It helps if you’re able to be honest with them about your situation and ask for that support.
If this is not available to you, consider turning to professional support services. Going to a polyclinic will enable you to get a referral to therapy from government or public hospitals – these are heavily subsidised. You can also approach Safe Place, a local charitable organization that works with mothers in challenging circumstances.
You can also take a look at the Mummamumtra directory for providers here.