As a part of one of our initiatives to spread health awareness and provide moms medical assistance at their time of need, Credihealth created the New Moms Club - a club home to more than a staggering 11,000 moms from across India and foreign countries. Although the focus is to help moms with their health needs - be a gynecologist or pediatrician for their child, the focal point has always been - you guessed it - new moms. These are expecting moms and those who have recently turned into a mommy.

While having a child is a gift from God, there is next to no recognition of postpartum depression - also called postnatal depression - this type of clinical depression is less talked about and rarely ever taken seriously in a country of more than a billion people. Common symptoms include feeling sad, sleeping problems, low sex drive, crying episodes, anxiety, and irritability. We wanted to find out the truth - do a majority of Indian women have postpartum depression? A poll from a recent survey on the group confirms -

A majority of women have postpartum depression.

Half of this number state they do not have postpartum depression, while a number close to admit they're not sure if they ever had postpartum depression. For a more clearer understanding, here is a precise description of postpartum depression by Mimansa Singh Tanwar, Clinical Psychologist in Fortis Healthcare.

We all grow up hearing a common saying "mother is a representative of God". She has the strength to bear the pain, be patient and tolerant to the child's and her family's needs. In referring to her as a "Super Mother" or "Super Woman", we paint a picture of her perfection leaving little space for her imperfections. This perfect image is what we wish and start identifying with as mothers.

Motherhood is a milestone in a woman's life that brings in a lot of transitions.

It surely is difficult, demanding and evokes deepest of insecurities and anxieties. Every moment in the life of mother is full of uncertainties and that, is a continuous struggle. Whether it's feeding, weaning off, baby throwing a tantrum, learning to walk, difficulty sleeping, incessant crying leading to gasping for breath or refusing to eat, all these small experiences bring in mixed emotions of anxiety, anger, irritability, frustration, exhaustion and sometimes sadness. These create self doubts and we continue to push ourselves harshly towards being a "good or perfect mother". Be a home maker or a working mother, the experience is different yet similar for every woman.

Read the complete article by Mimansa Singh Tanwar, Clinical Psychologist in Fortis Healthcare.