POSTNATAL DEPRESSION - HOW CAN MIDWIVES HELP

Objective: to explore and understand women's experiences and accounts of postnatal depression, Design: a qualitative approach, Participants were accessed through community sources. Data were collected through s emi-structured, in-depth interviews, lasting on average three and a ha lf hours. Interviews were taped, transcribed verbatim and analysed usi ng a range of methods which sought to ground theoretical insights in t he data, Setting: England, Participants: forty primiparous and multipa rous mothers of young children, living with the father of their child( ren), with varying experiences of motherhood, Findings: eighteen of th e 40 women experienced postnatal depression, The depression centred ar ound the women's unwillingness or inability to disclose their feelings and difficulties to partners, family, friends or health professionals , Implications for practice: implications for the potential role of mi dwives in helping women at risk of, or experiencing postnatal depressi on are discussed in terms of the following issues: training courses; a ntenatal classes; the birth experience; early identification of postna tal depression; talking and listening to women; referral to relevant h ealth professionals or voluntary organisations; a continuum of support from pregnancy to the postnatal period; and cultural issues.