But shortly after the birth of her baby boy, she found herself mentally struggling to cope with motherhood and its demands.
“I was always very worried, very nervous and had a lot of fears for my child’s health to a point where I developed obsessive compulsive thoughts,” she said.
Her anxiety worsened during the national Covid-19 lockdown. She was living away from her immediate family and lacked other support in raising a child.
“At the start, it didn’t bother me as much because it was a whole new experience for all of us, but with the second wave (of Covid-19) cases, everything just felt so uncertain and I didn’t know when things would get better, or when I could see my family again,” Elaine told FMT.
The stigma surrounding mental health in Malaysia made her reluctant to tell others about her concerns. It was not until she consulted a therapist that she found out she had postpartum anxiety and depression.
“I don’t think there’s much focus on mental health awareness, so people don’t know where to seek support. We aren’t taught to know that our feelings are valid, because being mentally unwell is so taboo here,” she said, and urged other new parents to also seek support before their conditions worsen.
“Baby blues” and depressed fathers
The Malaysian Mental Health Association (MMHA) defines postpartum depression (PPD) as a major depressive episode within four weeks of delivery. The symptoms include withdrawal from family, difficulty in bonding with the baby, insomnia, excessive crying and loss of interest in pleasurable activities.
This differs from postpartum anxiety or “baby blues”, another postpartum mood disorder that features mood swings, trouble sleeping and a constant state of worry, lasting a maximum of two weeks after childbirth.
MMHA president Dr Andrew Mohanraj said PPD could lead to difficulties with breastfeeding and poor bonding between a mother and her baby, which might affect the child’s psychological development.
PPD could even result in physical abuse or neglect of the child, he said.
He added that new fathers could also experience depressive symptoms after the birth of their child.
Excellent feminine healthcare
Postpartum Support International’s Malaysia coordinator Valerie Lynn said Malaysia had one of the lowest rates in the world at 3%.
“One of the things Malaysia does well is postnatal recovery and understanding the condition of the woman’s body after birth,” she said. “Traditional feminine healthcare is excellent in Malaysia.”
However, she also said the country still lacked specialists in the area and called for more research on postpartum mood disorders to better understand the issue.
Despite the low rates and the possibility of under-reporting, the London College of Clinical Hypnosis Asia has noted an increase of people seeking PPD treatment in the last five years.
“As we become more urbanised and city pressures have become more relevant, there’s been a shift,” said its principal, Sheila Menon.
Relying on extended families for support
She suggested doctors conduct regular screenings for mothers following childbirth, taking into account factors such as being a housewife, low social support and whether they underwent a caesarean section.
She also urged new mothers to take the opportunity to bond with other women in the family who have experienced motherhood.
“Apart from going to a therapist, I think one of the nice things we have in Asian culture is that we’re still close to our extended families. This provides a really good support system, which is really important.
“Mums should invest in building relationships with older women like their mother and mother-in-law, as these positive bonds can help them when they feel tearful or weak.”