A 31-year-old woman from Chesterfield has spoken about the moment she tried to kill her newborn daughter and husband while suffering from postpartum psychosis.
Laura, who did not give her surname, was diagnosed with the condition 14 days after giving birth to Olivia last June. She experienced hallucinations and became aggressive, after never having had mental health issues before.
After being awake for 40 hours, she drove the family at high speed towards a wall, believing the only way to stay together was to end their lives. Her husband Dan managed to stop the car, but Laura sped off again intending to kill herself, before a voice in her head prompted her to return.
She was sectioned and treated at a mother and baby unit in Nottinghamshire, completing her medication earlier this month. Laura said she still feels guilty but that the ordeal has made her and Dan 'unbreakable'. The couple hope to have more children, with plans for close monitoring.
