What every mother should know about treating PND with alcohol

Mums Tips

Fitness & Health

Published on Friday, 12 September 2025 11:30

Last Updated on 12 September 2025

Monica Costa

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Postnatal depression (PND) is a very real thing. After childbirth, the happiness of pregnancy changes into the intense demands and obligations of motherhood. It can be too much. Unfortunately, some women choose to deal with PND by drinking. They self-medicate with alcohol.

It must be stated right off the top that medicating with alcohol is never a good way to deal with depression. We will get into why in just a moment. But first, if you are a mother trying to deal with PND by drinking, you don’t have to do it. There are other ways to address how you are feeling, ways that will not harm you or your baby.

The Basics of Postnatal Depression

The National Health Service (NHS) explains that most women “feel a bit down, tearful or anxious in the first week after giving birth.” They refer to such feelings as the ‘baby blues’. The feelings are so common amongst post-natal mothers that they are considered routine. They don’t typically last for more than a week or two.

If they do last beyond two weeks, the NHS says that a woman could be suffering from PND. Symptoms include:

•       Persistent feelings of sadness
•       A loss of interest in previously enjoyed things
•       A lack of energy; feeling fatigued all the time
•       Difficulty looking after yourself and the baby
•       Withdrawing from contact with friends and family
•       Difficulty concentrating and making decisions.

The NHS says most women with PND don’t realise what’s going on. That lines up with statistics from a study published by the Lancet journal back in 2023.

 

A Very Real Problem

The study in question looked at PND affecting women in the UK from 2014 to 2020. They looked to assess the pandemic’s potential quantifiable influence on PND rates. Here is what they found:

•       The PND rate in 2014 was 10.3%
•       The rate had climbed to 23.9% in 2020

It is believed that rates have not dropped off significantly since then. However, this figure might have more to do with health visitors and the general public having more awareness of the signs and symptoms than with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Even more important is the fact that more than half of all UK mothers with PND are never diagnosed. Amongst that group, many are self-medicating with alcohol in an attempt to make it through each day.

 

Why It’s Not a Good Idea

Self-medicating with alcohol when dealing with PND is problematic on multiple levels. First and foremost, alcohol rarely improves symptoms of depression. Alcohol is an antidepressant by nature. So, in most people, it only worsens how they feel. Self-medicating with alcohol can also:

•       Impair Mum – Alcohol can interfere with a mother’s ability to care for her baby. It can also get in the way of the emotional connection that is so important in the weeks and months following birth.
•       Increased Risk – Self-medicating with alcohol increases the risk of a mum abusing or neglecting her baby. The combination of depression and alcohol just gets in the way of clear thinking.
•       Impact Breastfeeding – Babies are exposed to additional risks through breastfeeding when mothers self-medicate with alcohol. Alcohol can reduce milk production and impact babies by altering their sleep patterns, growth, and natural development.

 

Babies need all the love and attention their mothers can give them. They also need proper nutrition. Self-medicating with alcohol can get in the way of both. It is not good for mum or the baby.

 

Getting Help From a GP

For many women dealing with PND and alcohol problems, the first source of help is the GP. Consulting with a GP results in a clinical assessment along with sound medical advice. If necessary, a GP can refer mum to additional NHS services or specialised community alcohol and mental health services.

 

What else can a struggling mother do? Here are some options:

•       Local Community Services – Some local communities offer alcohol services to postnatal mothers. Such services include things like support, counselling, medically assisted treatment, and even detox.
•       Support Groups – Nationally recognised support groups offer a range of services to mothers struggling with alcohol. Groups like Alcoholics Anonymous and SMART Recovery are good starting places.
•       National Helplines – Charities like Drinkline and Adfam offer a variety of support services over the phone. Mothers can call in and get immediate counselling and sound advice from trained phone agents.
•       Mental Health Support – The fact that PND is the root of the problem suggests that some mothers are best served with mental health services. Both public and private services are available across the UK in most major urban centres.

 

So many choices tend to be overwhelming to mothers struggling with PND and alcohol. So an ideal situation is one in which the child’s father or other family members come alongside the mother to support her and help make decisions. As a side note, although PND affects mothers most of the time, fathers can experience it as well.

 

When Alcohol Problems Get Severe

Yet another risk of self-medicating with alcohol is developing dependence and, ultimately, misuse and abuse. When alcohol consumption reaches such a level, the best option may be a formal detox and rehab program.

The NHS can help here, but its services are limited. NHS doctors tend to refer patients to day programs, support groups, charities, and other community services. Rarely does the NHS get involved in residential rehab. Yet a residential program might be the best thing for a struggling mother.

Residential rehab includes both detox and therapies designed to help mothers avoid alcohol long-term. In light of a mother’s responsibility to take good care of her child, it can be difficult to accept the idea of entering a residential program. But in the long term, it might be the best choice.

 

Get Help Quickly

Self-medicating with alcohol to address PND is never a good idea. It is a situation that doesn’t always end well. So if you are struggling as a new mother and you find alcohol is your main tool for coping, please get help quickly. The sooner you can stop drinking, the better for both you and your baby.