It affects about 7% of mothers, and while there is often a "fertile ground" for depression among women going through this ordeal, there is no single way to explain postnatal depression.

An evil with multiple causes

Postpartum depression can indeed have multiple causes, as explained by Catherine Pierrat, psychologist: "Postpartum depression can be triggered by several factors: for example the hormonal phenomenon or the feeling of feeling empty after There may also be problems in the couple, difficulties in the resumption of sexuality, difficulties with the perception of the deformed body or a disinterestedness of the young father towards his companion. the childhood of the mother. "

Postpartum: a feeling of neglect of the environment for the benefit of the child

For Jeanne, a 34-year-old mother, what quickly caused great suffering after the birth of her daughter was her personal effacement: "As soon as Milla was born, I no longer had any attention from my friends and family. my husband, everyone had eyes only for my daughter, it was very painful.I thought it would pass but the more time passed, the more I felt I had lost my place and I did not enjoy taking care of my daughter, it was extremely guilty. "

A fairly frequent reaction according to Catherine Pierrat: "At birth, all the attention is focused on the baby, so there are women who feel neglected.After the excitement of the first days they are left alone with their baby they are de-socialized, especially if they are people with a very active professional activity.The meeting at home is far from obvious. "

Postpartum depression often begins with a baby-blues. But gradually, the symptoms intensify very clearly and settle in time: it is called postpartum depression.

For Jeanne, this test was particularly violent: "I cried incessantly, for no reason, I was not hungry and I just wanted to stay under the duvet all day, I did not taste anything." Add to this anxiety, sleep problems, loss of physical and mental energy.

Medico-psychological care and psychotherapy necessary

When depression happens, it is important to consult a psychologist, talk about it, seek to understand and heal.

"Postpartum depression requires medico-psychological management, which is often chemical, and psychotherapeutic work to work on the reasons," says our expert.

For Jeanne, the click was in one sentence: "The day I told my husband that I regretted our life before, I measured the importance of my pain and I was to see Someone, I was able to climb the slope and I managed to silence my guilt, for my well-being and to finally create a link with my daughter who had not asked for anything ".

As for the entourage, be careful not to rush the moms, and in a smaller proportion dads, who can also live a postpartum depression.

As our expert concludes, "Do not shake the person, do not feel guilty, do not tell him 'but you have everything to be happy you have a husband, you have a baby', it sinks even more! that the person goes up a little to the surface, there we can help him to take again his life in hand, to see the positive side of the things, to resume a physical activity, sexual, to rework his image, to take again taste with the life . "