Post Natal Depression

Post-natal depression (postnatal depression or postpartum depression) is a serious mood disorder that can develop after giving birth. If you’re experiencing persistent sadness, hopelessness, anxiety, or difficulty bonding with your baby, support is important and can help significantly.

What is Post-Natal Depression?

Post-natal depression (PND) is depression that develops in the weeks or months after giving birth. It’s more than “baby blues” – the mild, temporary mood changes many new parents experience in the first two weeks postpartum. PND involves persistent, significant depression that affects your ability to function and enjoy your baby and life. Post-natal depression can involve sadness, hopelessness, irritability, anxiety, difficulty sleeping (beyond normal new-parent exhaustion), changes in appetite, difficulty concentrating, or feelings of worthlessness or guilt. Some people experience intrusive scary thoughts about harming themselves or their baby – though it’s important to know that having these thoughts doesn’t mean you’d act on them. These are symptoms of the depression, not reflections of who you are or what you want.

How Post-Natal Depression Might Affect You

Post-natal depression can be incredibly isolating and frightening. You might feel disconnected from your baby, which brings guilt and shame. You might feel unable to cope with the demands of a newborn, or anxious about your baby’s safety or health. Sleep deprivation compounds everything – when you’re exhausted and depressed, everything feels harder. Post-natal depression can affect your relationship with your partner and your adjustment to motherhood. You might feel like you’re failing as a parent or that you should “just be happy.” The reality is that post-natal depression is a medical and psychological condition – it’s not your fault, and it’s highly treatable. With support, many people recover and go on to enjoy motherhood and their babies.

Our Approach to Post-Natal Depression

Working with a psychologist at Growth Psychology, you’ll receive compassionate, evidence-based support for post-natal depression. We understand that PND is a real condition, and we’re here to help you recover. We help you manage the depression itself – the mood, motivation, and thought patterns affected by depression. We support you in rebuilding your relationship with your baby and your sense of capability as a parent. We help with anxiety that often accompanies PND. We support you in processing the gap between what you expected the postpartum experience to be and what you’re actually experiencing. We work collaboratively with other healthcare providers involved in your care – your GP, midwife, or others – to ensure you’re receiving comprehensive support. Recovery is possible, and many people with PND go on to feel significantly better with appropriate treatment. Learn more about our therapeutic approaches.

When to Seek Support

If you’re experiencing symptoms of post-natal depression – persistent sadness, hopelessness, anxiety, difficulty bonding, or intrusive scary thoughts – seeking support is important. The earlier you seek help, the sooner you can begin to feel better. Post-natal depression is treatable, and recovery is possible.

Ask about our Post Natal Depression services.

If you’d like to explore how therapy might help, we’re here to talk through your needs.

Enquire today

Our practicitioners with a focus on Post Natal Depression

Louise Kelly - Psychologist

Louise is a registered Psychologist who offers a warm, collaborative approach to supporting adolescents and adults. She works across areas such as anxiety, OCD, hoarding‑related challenges, eating‑disorder concerns, stress, and life transitions. Louise draws on CBT, ACT, and DBT, and has completed specialised training in CBT‑E and SSCM through QuEDS. She is an ANZAED Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician and is listed on the Butterfly Foundation’s National Referral Database. With a background in education, Louise also facilitates mental health literacy programs.

Rita Mesch - Psychologist

Rita is a registered teacher and Psychologist who offers a supportive, non‑judgemental space for clients experiencing depression, anxiety, stress, grief, difficult or traumatic events, life transitions, and relationship concerns. She works from a Process‑Oriented Psychology framework, helping clients explore inner experiences and the patterns that influence wellbeing and personal growth.