Parents are depressed when instant bond doesn't happen with their adopted child

Expect hard times: New adoptive mothers could also experience depression because of the challenges in adapting to their new child. (Fotolia)

Adopting a child is supposed to be a joyous event, but for some mothers, it is far from a Hallmark moment. The adoptive mums feel powerless, worthless and hopeless, they can’t sleep or eat, or they sleep or eat too much and they withdraw from the world.

They are suffering from Post-Adoption Depression Syndrome (PADS), which results when the idealised expectations of motherhood fall short of the reality. It differs from postpartum depression caused partially by the changes in a woman’s body after childbirth.