Research shows motherhood 'me time' can help prevent baby blues

Bringing a baby into the world is meant to be a time of joy and happiness - along with some sleep deprivation.

But for one in ten mothers it can send them spiralling down a path of self-doubt and anxiety.

Now, research has found how some mums can ward off the baby blues.

For mum of two Mai-Lynda Allen, a simple trip to the hairdresser allows precious respite from the stresses of motherhood.

“Without having some time out you can get quite frustrated,” she said.

Now, a new study of fifteen hundred women has revealed a little motherhood 'me time' drastically improves maternal mental health.

“The rate of depression steadily decreased as the frequency of time for self increased,” said Dr Hannah Woolhouse from Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.

This was something experienced first-hand by fitness instructor Jen Dugard. She was so overwhelmed following the birth of her second child that she was diagnosed with post-natal depression.

She described it as: “A cloud that hangs around for a really long time, and just feeling like with two children I wasn't coping at all”.

The research found that fifteen per cent of mothers who never took a break from the daily grind of motherhood experienced depressive symptoms.

For mums who took time out once a week - that number dropped to six percent.

Whether it is an exercise class or movie, the study found it did not really matter what mums did - what mattered was time away from responsibility and stress.

"It is critical for mother's to share the load," said Dr Woolhouse. “The majority of demands for caring for a newborn do still fall to women.”

“If mum isn't looking after herself, then she can't do the best possible job of being a mother and looking after anyone else,” said Jen Dugard.

So mums: take a break at least once a week for your own wellbeing.