NHS Suffolk and North East Essex - After Birth Booklet

10 You may experience on-going symptoms such as: • low mood, sadness and tearfulness • anxiety, worry and tension • feeling overly tired, tearful and irritable • difficult or unexpected feelings towards your baby • poor sleep even when your baby sleeps well • feeling unable to cope or enjoy anything • thoughts that you are not a good enough parent • worrying thoughts about your baby • feelings of hopelessness • struggling to come to terms with a difficult birth. Getting help It can be difficult to talk about how you are feeling and ask for help. Common reasons for this are: • you may not know what is wrong • you may feel ashamed that you are not enjoying your baby or coping as you believe you should • you may worry that your baby will be taken away. Asking for help doesn’t mean you can’t cope or are not able to care for your child. It’s the start of getting the right help and support to ensure you can be the parent you want to be. If you have been experiencing any of the above symptoms for two weeks or more, you could have postnatal depression or anxiety. It is important to seek help as soon as possible.