Forbes ‘astonished’ how little is understood about postnatal depression

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes has said she is “astonished” how little is understood about postnatal depression after experiencing it herself following the birth of her daughter.

Ms Forbes told a podcast she believes frontline NHS workers could benefit from top-up training to support the mental health of mothers immediately after their babies are born.

She also told the Speaking of Suicide podcast that health professionals could not have been more helpful in assisting her after she realised she was suffering from the condition.

Ms Forbes has previously spoken openly about her own experience following the birth of Naomi in August 2022.

“I am still astonished by the lack of understanding of an issue that affects so many women,” she told the podcast.

“I’m genuinely astonished by how little resource and research there is into pregnancy and women’s health issues in and around pregnancy, considering the impact it has on thousands upon thousands of women.

“It wasn’t that many years ago that it would just be dismissed as the baby blues.

“For some women, it comes and goes, it’s a day of emotional challenge and then for some women, it descends very rapidly into something extremely serious.

“I have to commend NHS Highland, I have to commend the midwives and the doctors – they really couldn’t have done more, and I think that is rare based on what other women have shared with me.

“I am so impressed with how quickly they acted and how quickly they put in place support that I probably would have dismissed if they hadn’t forced it on me.”

Recounting her own experience of postnatal depression, Ms Forbes said it started in hospital after the birth before getting gradually worse after she was sent home.

“I just did not sleep. I couldn’t sleep. I had total insomnia,” she said.

“I thought I just needed to get out of hospital for things to get better.

“I got home and that’s when the sort of night terrors and the day terrors started.

“I was overwhelmed by fear for the baby’s health. I assumed I would be the person that would cause her pain and suffering and therefore that it would have been better for me to be elsewhere.

“I didn’t bath her, I could barely lift her, that kind of thing. I was really concerned for her safety.

“Then I was convinced that somebody was going to cause us harm.”

Ms Forbes said she spent a lot of time “pretending” she was coping with motherhood but soon realised there was something wrong after talking to her family and health professionals.

“As a politician, I suppose I’m a professional at putting a smile on and giving the right answer irrespective of how you feel inside,” she said. “I did that for a while and I just continued to not sleep at all.

“I’d go to have a shower but I’d have a 30-second shower because I was convinced somebody was just about to enter the bathroom with a machete or a knife something. It’s absurd, but there is no facts that can counteract what you believe so strongly.

“Within a week, I couldn’t even speak without being in tears and it all sort of came out.”

Asked if the experience had made her a different politician, Ms Forbes replied: “I certainly think it has given me a lot more compassion, a lot more empathy and a lot more concern for women’s health in and around babies.

“I’ve got involved with a number of organisations – or initiatives – trying to make more progress or raise awareness of these issues.

“I have also engaged with the Health Secretary to ask for another look at how services are delivered.

“I do think my experience of NHS Highland was positive, but there’s some things to learn there about having people training midwives so they feel better able to support women.”