This period is a demanding life
stage, where concerns about infant
health are combined with new
responsibilities, changing relationship
dynamics, a significant unpaid
workload, sleep deprivation, and the
physical demands of recovery from
birth and breastfeeding. The presence
of environmental stressors (e.g. finance,
household duties, relationships) are
known to significantly predict anxiety in
the postnatal period. Socio-economic
disadvantage, younger maternal age
and low educational attainment have
all been associated with increased
likelihood of reporting elevated post-
natal anxiety. Furthermore, poor
sleep quality and fatigue have been
found to be associated with wellbeing
difficulties, including anxiety in parents
of young children. In addition to this,
something that we see a lot in Hong
Kong is the lack of family and social
support exacerbating feelings of anxiety
shortly after giving birth. And, high
achieving women with tendencies
towards perfectionism are also a
cohort that are vulnerable to developing
Postnatal Depression/Anxiety. Ambition
and career success are relatively
controllable, new born infants and what
goes along with becoming a mother for
the first time are not. For the first time
in our adult lives, our existence has to
revolve around someone that is not very
good at communicating their needs or
transparent about how to achieve the
goal of being a happy and thriving baby.
There is more and more research
emerging that shows anxiety is at least,
if not more, common than symptoms
of depression in the postnatal period.
We know that women who have a
history of mental health issues, such
as depression, panic disorder, and
obsessive-compulsive disorder may
often deteriorate in the postnatal period
but it can happen without expecting it.
Often, women who have experienced
Postnatal Anxiety can look back and
acknowledge that they have always
been highly strung or have a tendency
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