New mum thought she was in ‘hell’ and had to have electric shocks

New mum thought she was in ‘hell’ and had to have electric shocks

A mother was so traumatised by the aftermath of childbirth that she “thought she had died and gone to hell”, leading her to undergo electro-shock therapy. Kayleigh Avery, 38, first encountered post-partum psychosis – a condition that distorts reality, causing hallucinations, delusions or paranoia – following the birth of her daughter, Daisy, now 10. The … Read more

‘I was convinced my breast milk was poisoning my baby’

‘I was convinced my breast milk was poisoning my baby’

Lying in a hospital bed, her three-week-old daughter in a crib next to her, Emily Lawrence felt consumed with despair and shame. She was in the grip of postpartum psychosis (PPP), a severe but rare mental health condition which develops after a woman gives birth. Emily had been admitted to hospital suffering from terrifying symptoms, … Read more