This is just my personal experience, no scientific data...  I suffered from
a combination of post partum depression (4.5 years - through a subsequent
birth) and post traumatic stress disorder.  I eventually got counselling
(unresolved grief from multiple miscarriages and the birth not going
anything like I'd imagined) and went on medication.  On the days when I felt
like I had nothing to live for, I knew that if I wasn't here my baby
wouldn't be breastfed anymore and that alone kept me going some days.  I
would definitely encourage this mum to provide breastmilk to her baby even
if she ends up taking medication.  And to hold her baby even if she can't
nurse yet.  My son was on full life support for a while and the nurses were
very good about pinning his intubation tubes to the shoulder of my shirt so
that I could hold him and not worry about the tubes.  Even though I couldn't
nurse him yet, just holding him was very good for me to start bonding.  I
realise that preemies (my baby was full-term) may be too fragile to hold but
as soon as is humanly possible, encourage it -- and skin to skin.   And yes,
this mother should get some counselling.  It is very traumatic to have a
sick baby in the NICU no matter how the birth went or whether it's a preemie
or full-term baby.  Nobody even alerted me to the fact that the trauma I
went through was a potential trigger for PPD or PTSD and I was not prepared
for it when it hit me full-on at 4 months post partum.

Margo
LLL Leader
Mummy to Liam, Ceilidh and Malcolm/Rhiannon (July 2006)

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