Loss, happiness and postpartum depression: The ultimate paradox

This paper describes a British-based longitudinal qualitative study of post partum depression over the transition to motherhood. Twenty-four women were interviewed during pregnancy and one, three and six months after the birth . The data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed from a symbolic interacti onist perspective to identify themes surrounding the meaning of motherhood and experiences of depression during this time. The findings presented here demonstrate an important paradox in women's exp eriences: they are happy to be mothers to their children, while unhappy at the losses that early motherhood inflicts upon their lives - losses of auto nomy and time, appearance, femininity and sexuality, and occupational ident ity. It is argued that if these losses were taken seriously and the women e ncouraged to grieve that postpartum depression would be seen by the women a nd their partners, family and friends as a potentially healthy process towa rds psychological re-integration and personal growth rather than as a patho logical response to a "happy event."