My friend has post natal depression

I know how you feel. I have a friend who is going through the same problem. Everytime I see her I feel sad because she's absolutely miserable. However she had children for the wrong reasons and here's what happened. I've offered to watch her kids but she always turns that down. I've also given her numbers of good counselling services but I doubt she would go to those either. That's a toughie, I really wish I knew how to help.

Hi Maxine, Post natal depression is an illness that has to be seen by a doctor. You can help her take care of the baby even though I imagine that you have your hands full with yours. But one of the post natal depression syntoms is a lack of ability to love and take care of the baby. The best would be to take her to her doctor so that she can be medicated if posible. Hug!

I just would go to her's and help her doing the housework and preparing food for the baby. i think that you' d just do there and speak of whatever you want. she will feel better, i hope.

I'm a male. So I have no such experience. My mother gave birth 6 sons and 3 daughters. She was normal in every occasion. I think the ladies of present world face many health problems.

First of all, you should tell her to see her doctor, as Post natal depression can spiral out of control. Also, just be there for her, tell her to go have some time out, and you will watch the children, to give her a break. Talk to her, so she can offload her stress, and if possible, see if she can get a babysitter (does she have a partner?)and go out together for a nice meal, and a drink. Just being there, and offering a help in hand, will make her feel so much better. I hope she recovers soon.

Post natal depression is very common to mother after they delivered they baby.They have self pity for themselves.The one thing you can help her to tried to help her by taking care of her children so that she can relaxed herself.Tries her to go out some place to enjoyed so she will be too much distressful for her.

I do have a friend who went through that with her second baby. She just had her third baby, and so far has not had post partum depression again. My friend was a mess. She yelled at her husband, could hardly care for the baby...She went to the doctor and he put her on a mild dose of an anti-depressant. After about four months she went off the anti-depressant and hasn't had trouble since. The anti-depressant was never meant to be permanent, just to help stabilize her moods while her body adjusted. You have your own children which would make it very hard for you to help her out with her own kids. I'm sure just calling her up, or talking to her when you see her would help her. At this point I'm sure she just wants someone to listen.

The only thing I would do is just to be there for her. I would try to soothe the crying baby as I think the depressed mother gets irritated with the crying. The other alternative is to try to find a baby sitter for the baby so that the mother can be relieved of temporarily taking care of the baby. Otherwise, find a counseller for the mother.

people with depression really feel sad about something, it can be their life, their appearance, their situation,etc. the are regulated medicines to help people with depression. according to studies, eating fish or drinking omega 3 capsules(fish oil) will help people with depression. but in your case, it is better that you talk to your friend and try to cheer her up.let her feel that she is not alone.

You should help your friend by being there for her to have someone to talk to, and even to babysit for her so she can get away from her children for a little bit if that is what she feels like she needs. By listening to her when she needs to talk she may admit that she needs help and that is when you could suggest to her that she talk to her doctor about getting some medical help. You should just go to her and tell her that is what she needs because that isn't what she needs to hear. She needs to get the words out and admit it to herself and have someone there to verify to her that is what she needs.

I have not suffered from post natal depression but I do have clinical depression, and I think the most important thing for me is to know that people understand that you do not choose it - it is an illness and you are not choosing to wallow in sadness, its not the same as being in a bad mood. So let her know that you know this is a real painful thing she is going through, don't take the approach of 'pull yourself together and do this, this and this' because its not like that. After that, yes I am sure practical help with kids or meals or whatever would be appreciated. My best friend once just sat with me and held my hand and let me cry. I have never forgotten that because all around me people were trying to give me advice and tell me how to feel, and she got it and was just there. I hope she is doing better soon. Take care of yourself aswell - don't get so down with it yourself that you cannot do what you need to, because you won't be helping her anyway then.

I agree offer to babysit or if she has a babysitter take her out somewhere to take her mind off her stress, when I had my daughter something that really helped was my family made meals for us so that cooking was one less thing to worry about they also did all the wash and cleaned my house it really relaxed me so I only had to take care of the baby.

be with her she needs u and being good listener to her u already help her....shes crying to let out her bad feelings and thats good for her than keeping things inside her not good..usually women are too emotional especially shes n post natal dep....

well first i would ask her if she would like any help then i would give her a sugestion of getting a baby sitter so she could work to make money

Sometimes, it's difficult to help friends, who are suffering from depression, or other types of illnesses. Sometimes the best thing you can do is to just let her know that you're there for her, if she needs anything. I understand that it's not always easy to sit back while someone you love has to go through this sort of situation. But at the same time, you can't force her to talk to you or something like that. It's unfortunate, but sometimes it's the way that it is, and the best thing you can do.

I would offer to help my friend by watching the children while she goes and pampers herself for a few hours. I am not sure how she is feeding the baby but there are many ways to satisfy hunger. I think it is important for your friend to get some down time. Also, you could make a nice dinner for her and the family or offer to take the older boys off her hands to bond with the new baby. I think being there to listen when she needs to vent is important as well. Let her have someone who can listen without judging her. Let her be completly honest and perhaps recommend she talk with her doctor about these feelings. There is a lot of good help for this now and it should be used when needed.