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.