Postnatal depression: books to read
Many mums who have shared their experiences of postnatal depression say they were desperate to find out more about it - that reading other mums' stories and expert views reassured them that it's an illness and that they are not just "going mad".
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There are also lots of books on postnatal depression that have been published that can help you to understand what's going on and show you how you can help yourself through your depression and/or anxiety. Here are our recommendations ...
The Netmums books
Keeping well, keeping happy How to be a Happy Mum: The Netmums Guide to Stress-Free Family Life
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It's important for mums to be happy. Mums are the centre of the family and the centre of the home and if mums are happy, children will be happy. Sadly it's not that easy to feel happy all the time, being a mum can be really difficult and stressful at times and it's too easy for mums to spend all their energy on their family and home and forget about themselves.
Telling it exactly how it is, this book looks at the stresses most mums face and offers practical advice as well as empathy. Take a read and breathe a sigh of relief that you're not alone in how you feel.
Post-natal depression Surving Post-natal Depression - At Home No One Hears You Scream by Cara Aiken
A moving account of 10 mothers' stories, including fathers speaking ...
ISBN 1-85302-861-4 (2000) 176 pages,
£15.95
Feelings after birth - Heather Welford
Published by the NCT, this short book is helpful and comforting.
ISBN: 0954301803 (2002), £5.99
Postnatal Depression, facing the paradox of loss, happiness and motherhood - Paula Nicholson
Written by a psychologist, looking at the different emotions that people go through at a time when there are ‘meant’ to be happy – also including stories from 24 women who’ve suffered.
John Wiley & Sons Ltd, ISBN 0-471-48527-6 (2001) 236 pages, £8.99
Life After Birth - Kate Figes
This book explores the physical, psychological, emotional, social, and sexual consequences of childbirth using interviews, medical and anthropological research, as well as drawing on Kate Figes' own personal experience. It tackles some of the more difficult aspects of motherhood and makes you feel you are not alone.
Penguin books, ISBN 0140252630 (2000) 304 pages, £8.99
The Mindful Way Through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness - Mark Williams, John Teasdale, Zindel segal, Kabat Zinn
Written by four scientists, this book offers a unique approach to dealing with depression by bringing together scientific and meditative practices. Packed with realistic solutions, it is ideal for anyone suffering from depression who want to achieve a better emotional balance.
ISBN 1593851286
Depression Feeling Good, The New Mood Therapy - David Burns
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and more …
Avon books, ISBN: 0380810336 (1999) 736 pages, £4.99
Living with a Black Dog - Matthew Johnstone
From the author of the bestselling I Had a Black Dog, a touching and beautifully illustrated book, written for those who care for those suffering from depression.
ISBN-10: 1845297431/ISBN-13: 978-1845297435, £7.99
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