They may cause some minor side effects such as a dry mouth or constipation. While they don't help every woman they are certainly worth a try and many women find that they feel much, much better on them. Once the depression has lifted and things have been stable for a while, the drugs are then tailored off. Alternatively they may be changed or stopped if there is no benefit after a couple of months. Your doctor may be able to arrange this or similar psychological treatments if your wife has not already tried them.
Support is vital General support and help is also important.
Small babies can be surprisingly demanding and strangely isolating - women used to get a lot of support from the extended family but these days many have to cope much more on their own. Try to make sure your wife has friends around to talk to, a chance to have time off from the baby for herself and a bit of help around the house. Visit our extensive Ask the Doctor library of all previously asked questions and answers covering a wide range of topics. Full A to Z listing Category listing Keyword Search using the box on the right . The BBC is not liable for the contents of any external internet sites listed, nor does it endorse any commercial product or service mentioned or advised on any of the sites.