How can you support a mother who has postpartum mental health problems?

Some guidance for husband and family members

• You need to understand that a mother’s unpredictable or difficult behaviour may be  due to a psychiatric problem. Hence she needs evaluation and help from Mental Health Professionals.
• As pregnancy and delivery cause physical and psychological stress the mother needs continuous support and care from husband and family members throughout this period.
• The mother  needs empathy, concern, affection, love, acceptance, intimacy, and caring. 
• Avoid critical comments and anger. Try discussing problems in a calm manner. Try not to be confrontational.
• Try to assess which situations make the mother upset. Is it when she is exhausted, when she has not been able to get enough sleep or when the baby is cranky?
• Involve her in some recreational activities such as: Going for a walk in the park, watching movies together or listening to music
• Help her with baby chores and encourage her to talk about the infant. Play with the infant as a family.
• Spend some time with the mother everyday and encourage her to encourage her routine day to day activities
• Do not separate mother and baby for long durations unless the mental health team asks you to or the mother is getting irritable with the baby.
• Don’t blame her for having the psychiatric problem.
• Educate the other family members about mother’s illness and involve them in care & support.