Denise Welch opens up on postnatal depression in TV interview

North East actress and television personality, Denise Welch appeared on Good Morning Britain today to discuss mental health.

The 64-year-old opened up on the mental health struggles that she has faced in the past, with specific focus on postnatal depression, which can occur after giving birth.

In a conversation with presenters Susanna Reid and Martin Lewis, Denise spoke of her struggles with postnatal depression after the birth of her first child - The 1975’s Matty Healy, and how she felt medical professionals did not take her issues seriously.

Denise explained that throughout her pregnancy, she was “the typical blooming woman”, and that she loved being pregnant, saying: “I loved every single minute of it”.

However, five days after giving birth, she revealed that she suffered from a panic attack, and that her lactation process had stopped.

Denise further explained that now, 34 years later, medical professionals would view the stopping of lactation as a “huge hormonal red flag”, but at the time she was dismissed as according to Denise, a midwife told her “that would only happen if a spouse, a parent or indeed the baby dies”.

She described the time in her life as an “increasing feeling of unreality”, and that her mother had found her trying to crawl out of a window of her Crouch End flat.

Martin sympathised with Denise’s past struggles, as he said: “When you have your first mental health episode, that is the most scary because you have no idea whether it’s going to be there for the rest of your life.”

Denise replied:  “I can honestly say it was the most terrifying thing”.

Denise Welch is currently a panellist on Loose Women and hosts her own podcast named Denise Welch’s Juicy Crack Podcast, where she frequently openly discusses mental health.

Read Newcastle’s news on the go with our free email newsletters - bringing the headlines to your inbox. Catch up on the day’s news and sport and enjoy even more from the NewcastleWorld team. Visit our website here to find out more and sign up.