Childbearing is usually a special time in a woman's life - a time of changes, both physical and emotional. During pregnancy, her body changes, her hormones are in flux, and she has to come to terms with the joys and responsibilities of a new life growing inside of her. After childbirth, she still has to deal with her own changes, but now has to take care of her baby's needs as well.

While childbearing is usually marked with celebration, families and the broader community may forget that this can be a stressful time for a mother perhaps overwhelmed with all the sudden changes and stressors in her life. Sometimes, the experience can be so disorganized and exhausting that the woman becomes too sad, anxious or overwhelmed to get back to her normal life. This can be a sign of postpartum depression.

Postpartum depression is a form of clinical depression that affects 12 to 16% of mothers. In lasting weeks, months or even years after birth, postpartum depression distinguishes itself from the fleeting "baby blues," a common feeling of distress and tearfulness that usually disappears within the newborn's first weeks of life. Ten per cent of women will begin to have symptoms during pregnancy.

Postpartum depression is not restricted to women who are giving birth for the first time, either. It is just as likely to affect women who are adopting, and those who have had children before. Moreover, it can occur anytime from right after childbirth, to a few months later.

The symptoms of the illness include feelings of helplessness, numbness, and depression. The woman often feels a lack of control over her emotions, sometimes crying for no obvious reason, or having a panic attack.

Also, it is common for women with postpartum depression to feel inadequate or unable to cope with their new responsibilities. The woman might be overly concerned about the baby, feel anxious, irritable, worry excessively, have difficulty sleeping or feel resentment towards the baby or other family members. This, in turn, can make her feel guilty for having these kinds of emotions.

Sometimes women experience frightening and upsetting thoughts about harming their babies even though this is not something they would ever want to do. These thoughts are quite common with postpartum depression; many women experience them and do not act on them. In some very rare cases where a mother does harm her baby, she is usually experiencing psychosis, that is to say, she's out of touch with reality.

Postpartum depression affects 1-2 women out of 10, while postpartum psychosis affects 1-3 women out of 1,000 and even women with postpartum psychosis very seldom harm their children. The risk of a mother with postpartum depression actually harming her child is extremely low.

There are many different factors that contribute to postpartum depression. A woman already vulnerable to depression or anxiety, or who has had episodes of depression or anxiety in her lifetime is at greater risk of having pregnancy and childbirth trigger another episode. Some research suggests that hormonal changes in the new mother may cause the depressive episode. However, this alone cannot account for all postpartum phenomena since we can find it in adoptive mothers as well as mothers several months after childbirth. Some fathers will also experience emotional distress.

Stress certainly plays a major role in the development of the illness. A new baby brings new challenges. For instance, a finicky, colicky, or easily-agitated baby can cause a lot of worry and anxiety.

Societal views about what you should feel and how you should behave can jar against a mother's lived experience and contribute to depression. For example, the "motherhood myth" tells us that mothers should always appear happy, radiant and serene. A new mother is supposed to have infinite love, protection and tenderness for her child. All these expectations can put added pressure on a woman.

It is important for women with postpartum depression to develop a support system for themselves. They can do this through family members, support groups, babysitters, day-care and self-care. Many women find it healing to support other women who are going through postpartum depression.

Some women find that taking antidepressants or other medications may help; however, it is important to work closely with the prescribing doctor so that any possible effects on the fetus, child, or pregnant or nursing mother can be accounted for and monitored. There are newer classes of antidepressants that are considered safe to use while pregnant or breastfeeding.

However a woman decides to seek help for herself, it is important to remember that this is a personal choice. Although postpartum depression may seem like a never-ending struggle at first, women can and do recover and are able to find fulfillment with their children.