Expat mums with the baby blues after giving birth can find support hard to come by in a foreign land sometimes thousands of miles from home.
It’s not easy for family and friends to offer practical help because of the distance involved.
Best advice to a mum expecting some time near an overseas relocation is stay home and have the baby first with your loved ones and a familiar health service at hand.
That’s not always possible, Dr Yousef Abou Allaban, consultant psychiatrist at the American Centre for Psychiatry and Neurology in the United Arab Emirates, remarked in a recent speech.
He explained expat mums should not worry about talking about their feelings with their doctor or other medical professionals as they are there to help.
Early diagnosis is key
“It’s worthwhile checking medical insurance covers treatment for depression after childbirth,” he said. “If the mum has a partner who is not fully supportive or feel isolated because of geographical or language problems, we have seen them have a lot of difficulties coming to terms with their condition.
“Depression after birth is especially draining if the mother has one or more demanding children to look after at the same time, all calling on her time.”
Baby blues, or post-natal depression, typically display symptoms like tiredness, anxiety and bad temper.
Not many couples realise, but the problems can afflict the father as well as the mother on rare occasions.
“Early diagnosis is the key,” said the doctor. “If we can pick up the problem from the start, we can easily step in with treatment. If the mother or her partner do not realise what is happening, then the mother can pay a high emotional and financial price.
Mental health stigma
“Post natal depression has seen relationships and jobs suffer. Doctors and other medical staff should also be on alert for depression after a mum has given birth.”
The doctor also explained that stigma associated with mental health issues stops many mothers and couples from seeking help for post-natal depression.
“This is rooted in the culture of the mother’s home country and where she lives,” said the doctor.
Private medical cover for expats is compulsory in the UAE and other Middle Eastern countries, but the policies just covering the minimum standards pay not include treatment for depression or continuing care for a mother after childbirth.
Elsewhere in the world, mental health issues may not be recognised or treated by the local health services.
