These split-second horror flicks are followed by tremendous slaps of guilt. . . . The shame is so deep I can't tell anyone about these thoughts . . . It often reflects anxiety over becoming a new parent. At the far extreme, about one in a thousand new mothers develops a highly dangerous condition called postpartum psychosis, which tends to strike swiftly in the first few days after childbirth. This rare condition requires an emergency response because a mother gripped by hallucinations and delusions may actually harm her baby.
New fathers can make a huge difference in depressed mothers' return to normal.
Janet Wilson, a Seattle hairdresser, said her husband was extremely patient as she struggled through postpartum depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress following a difficult and painful birth. Wilson still takes antidepressants and mood stabilizers, but her husband Bryan helped her through the worst of it. Women don't quickly forget their slog through the postpartum swamp but with support and treatment they can get back on high ground. I'm happier and more stable than I've ever been in my life. Experts aren't sure, but postpartum depression seems to follow a more erratic course, with a mix of good and bad days and an especially strong link with anxiety and physical complaints such as headache, says psychiatric specialist Rex Gentry.