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Postpartum Depression Multiplied

Moms of Multiples Face Increased Risk of Baby Blues

By Teri Brown

As the single mother of unexpected twins, Melissa Fry of Roseville, Calif., felt she had to do everything on her own so she wouldn't be a burden on her family. "I was determined to do it all by myself and not ask for help," says Fry. "I became physically and mentally exhausted."

Eight weeks after her daughters were born, Fry went back to work full time and tried to care for the twins on her own. She quickly became overwhelmed, but did nothing about it. "I lied to my doctor when he asked me questions about how I was feeling, because I thought I should be handling things better than I was," says Fry.

After being hospitalized twice for attempted suicide, Fry was diagnosed with postpartum depression (PPD). With therapy and a low dose of antidepressants, she is recovering.

Unfortunately, Fry's story isn't unique. According to Nancy Bowers, R.N., author of The Multiple Pregnancy Sourcebook: Pregnancy and the First Days with Twins, Triplets, and More (McGraw-Hill/Contemporary Books, April 2001), the incidence of PPD and anxiety disorders in mothers with multiple infants is estimated at 25 percent. In mothers of singletons, only about 10 percent of women are affected.

"Many parents say that demands are not just doubled with twins or tripled with three babies, but they increase exponentially," says Bowers. "In addition, half of twins and nearly all higher-order multiples are born preterm and may have health problems secondary to prematurity."

Health problems only exacerbate the stress that often leads to PPD, says Bowers. Other difficulties complicate the problems new mothers of multiples face. Many mothers of multiples conceived with infertility treatments, and this may cause additional stress. Finances may be tight after expensive infertility care or extended hospitalization of premature babies.

"In addition, these women often have very high expectations of themselves as mothers," says Bowers. "When the parenting experience isn't what they expected, they may feel guilty or resentful. Some feel they can't complain about the difficulties of parenting multiples, thinking, 'After all, this is what I wanted.' And friends or family may expect them to be happy regardless."

Want to see more?

• Two at Once: Becoming a Parent of Twins
• Postpartum Depression: Preventing Tragedy
• Postpartum Depression: When Having a Baby Gives You More Than the Blues
• Talk about it!

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