A father is devastated after his wife took her own life just two months after giving birth to their son following a battle with postnatal depression.
Chris and Tammy Silvio welcomed baby boy Cooper on April 12, but Ms Silvio succumbed to her mental health struggle on Monday.
Family friend Sarah Lanigan said the new father had ‘bravely allowed’ her to share his wife’s story in the hope it will help other women.
Chris and Tammy Silvio welcomed baby Cooper on April 12, however Ms Silvio succumbed to her mental health struggled on Monday
A family friend described Mr Silvio as the ‘most kind and genuine bloke’ who should ‘never have been faced with raising his son alone’
‘(Tammy) was a strong, smart, determined and caring young woman who wanted nothing more than to become a mother,’ she wrote on a GoFundMe.
‘The family were enjoying the first few weeks of parenthood with all its ups and down, however Tammy started to develop the symptoms of postnatal depression.
‘Chris rallied around his wife, providing her every support and she bravely fought for her family.’
Ms Lanigan described Mr Silvio as the ‘most kind and genuine bloke’ who should ‘never have been faced with raising his son alone’.
‘I am setting up this GoFundMe page to support our good mate Chris (Wally) and baby son Cooper, to alleviate any financial worry while he takes the time to grieve and navigate this time,’ she wrote.
‘I know we all want the very best for Chris and Cooper and I ask you to support them in any way you can.’
One in seven Australian women develop postnatal depression between a month and a year after the birth of their child.
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Family friend Sarah Lanigan said the new father had ‘bravely allowed’ her to share his wife’s story in the hope it will help other women experiencing postnatal depression
Many women will also get the ‘baby blues’ after giving birth, but this goes away after a few days.
Health experts said all parents go through an adjustment period as they grapple with the huge change a baby brings to their life.
‘For most people, this time of adjustment will be temporary and will not be overly distressing,’ Health Direct advised.
Signs that this has developed into postnatal depression include classic depression symptoms, exhaustion, excessive worry, and fears they are a bad mother.
‘In some cases, women may experience thoughts about leaving their family or worried that their partner may leave them,’ Health Direct said.
‘They could also have ideas about self-harm or doing harm to their partner or baby.’
Having the usual symptoms for more than two weeks means you need to see a doctor, and seriously harmful thoughts require immediate action.
Fathers can also develop postnatal depression, though it is less common.
Postnatal depression can be treated with therapy, counselling, developing support strategies, or with antidepressant medication.
Source: Daily Mail
