The past 10 or so years have seen slow and steady progress in the Australian understanding of perinatal depression. As the public understanding of mental health challenges grows and more women speak out about their experience, we need to be aware how to support our friends, or ourselves through the difficulty.
One in five Australian women will have perinatal depression according to the Australian Institute for Health and Welfare 2010 National Infant Feeding Survey. Beyond the Baby Blues: The Complete Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Handbook was written to serve as a comprehensive guide to perinatal depression.
It’s a great book for anyone who is struggling with the condition or keen to find out how to best support their partner, family member or friend. The book explores what perinatal anxiety and depression is; where to seek social, medical and financial help; self-care and how the people around a parent struggling with the condition can help.
It is written by Catherine Knox, CEO of the Gidget Foundation for perinatal anxiety and depression; Benison O’Reilly, a medical writer, and Seana Smith, author of Sydney Under Fives and co-author of The Australian Autism Handbook with O’Reilly. All three are mothers, and both Knox and Smith have had perinatal depression.
Perinatal depression and anxiety can be overwhelming and scary. But this book is a great guide to overcoming the situation that leaves readers confident they understand what’s going on and equipped to start taking the steps towards recovery.
You can find out more about the book here.
You can buy the book online here. The RRP is $34.95