‘I lost who I was with postnatal depression,’ Bristol woman says

Growing up as part of a “big family” in the Philippines, Rachelle said she had always wanted to have “lots and lots of children”.

But following the birth of her 11lb (5kg) baby girl, she was left feeling lonely, depressed and “angry at everything and everyone”.

“All my habits, all my hobbies, all the things that I used to do, I lost because my entire life revolved around this tiny little being that depended on me,” Rachelle said.

“We grin and bear it and say ‘we’re fine, we’re fine, everything’s fine’, but really [it’s], ‘no, we’re sleep deprived, no, it’s getting to me’.”