Atomic Kitten star Natasha Hamilton has opened up about her recent health battle, revealing that she struggled with pre and post natal depression last year.
The singer gave birth to a daughter called Ella Rose in October and in a new blog for Baby Centre, she recalled that she started to get panic attacks during the early stages of her pregnancy.
“The feeling of fear and helplessness that would spread over me was so frightening, I would freeze. They also left me feeling really embarrassed in public places,” she said.
“My doctors told me this can happen with an increase of hormones during pregnancy, so I just had to try and get through it. As the weeks went on my anxiety became worse, my thoughts became really negative and my pregnancy became in all honesty, a bit of a nightmare.”
The Whole Again star was diagnosed with pre-natal depression and received counselling through the remainder of her pregnancy.
She also suffered post-natal depression with first child Josh and warned new mothers that they “certainly shouldn’t feel guilty about it”.
“As I watched my mum drive away that day, I broke down and wept uncontrollably. I felt so isolated and frightened. I suffered in silence for nine months, to a point where I thought I was going crazy, because stupidly I felt guilty for feeling so unhappy.”
