Jeff stared at Mabel from behind the curtains. The baby had been crying for a while but Mabel sat there looking into space unperturbed.
Scared, confused and angry, Jeff stormed into the room and snapped at her “Babe, can’t you see David has been crying for too long?” Mabel looked at him with sad eyes, picked the baby and shoved him into Jeff’s arms before walking away.
David was born barely one week earlier and Mabel had never been the same since her return from the hospital. For someone that couldn’t wait for the birth of her baby, Mabel’s attitude scared Jeff. He felt like she hated her own child.
But what Jeff didn’t know was that his wife Mabel suffered from Post-Partum Depression and needed help and support.
Post-Partum depression (PPD) is a type of mood disorder associated with childbirth and studies show that 1 in 7 women experience this disorder. It also doesn’t just affect first time mums.
Along with postpartum depression, some women experience a rare and serious form of mental illness known as Post-partum psychosis. When a woman gets to this extent, she can cause grievous harm to herself and her baby if left unchecked.
As real as this disorder is, a lot of women have been called names and worse in Nigeria for feeling this way after they have had a baby. But this feeling is beyond their control and they need immediate help.
Husbands are in the best position to offer support and seek help for their wife if she has this disorder. But first, you need to know how to detect Post-partum depression.
Tune in to ARM Life Living Benefits show today on Smooth 98.1FM by 6.40pm (Lagos), 6.45pm (Abuja) and 6.00pm (PortHarcourt) to learn all the symptoms of Post-partum depression and what to do when you spot them.
There is also a gift voucher up for grabs at the end of the show. You don’t want to miss it!
