'The veil of shame around postnatal depression needs to go'

"Women, since the beginning of time, have birthed and looked after children and I just couldn't be bothered. I thought I was lazy."

Those are the words of Laura, 45, from Cheltenham, in Gloucestershire, who weeks after undergoing an emergency Caesarean section struggled so much with postnatal depression that she needed psychiatric care.

The NHS says postnatal depression, external, also known as postpartum depression, is a "common" mental health condition that can happen after having a baby.

"Postnatal depression can happen to anyone and this is why the veil of shame needs to come down, through education or through listening to people," said Laura.