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Depression and Pregnancy...opinions please!!

Kayla - posted on 08/05/2010 ( 2 moms have responded )

27

145

So I went to the doctor yesterday for my monthly check up and I was telling her about how I have been feeling really down for the past 2 weeks or so. So she had me take a depression survey and come to find out that I am moderately to marked depressed. I guess this is something that can happen during pregnancy, but with my son I never had any problems like this. Not even postpartum depression. So she gave me a prescription for Zoloft and I really don't know if I want to take it. I did some research and and found that though the risk is low, but there can be some serious side effects to the baby after birth. But I also read that if I don't treat the depression, it can affect the baby too. So I'm stuck on what I should do. I really want to feel better, cause I can tell it is interfering with my relationship with my hubby and son. But I also don't want to hurt my unborn child. I guess I kinda want to get some of you other mothers opinion on this. If you have taken antidepressants while pregnant, have you noticed any effects with your children?

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Aicha - posted on 08/06/2010

1,533

320

sorry to hear you are depressed have you tried going for walks and counseling counseling really is the easiest to try 1st before medication . I had a bad reaction to zoloft it was a allergic life threatening reaction and I had to use a epepin and bendryal to stop the reaction

Maria - posted on 08/05/2010

296

19

I'm a stay at home mom of (almost) 2, and it is lonely and overwhelming sometimes. I feel for you. Depression is not just feeling sad, tho I'm sure you know that, it is a lack of proper chemistry in your brain. It feeds on itself and your negative thoughts and thus grows and deepens. Your diet is a good place to start. Eat foods high in protein, lots of extra protein, and green leafy veggies( not iceburg lettuce, but spinach and kale). Stay well hydrated, lots of water(not soda or juice). I also take a B-100 complex vitamin daily, twice sometimes, to help stabilize my mood. Foods high in these vitamins are good too, like orange and red fruits and veggies. But your diet probably isn't the only thing that needs to change for you to feel better.
If you don't have a support network, i.e. family and friends, close by to help out, now is the time to either join or start a mom's group. There should be resources in your community to help you get in touch with other moms and/or community advocacy groups that can help you with childcare for "me time". Or ask your child's doctor. I know for me in the beginning I was very frustrated with being trapped at home and I had no friends and family to help. I eventually learned that, as hard as it is, I needed to take time to nurture myself every day if I was gonna be any good to my kids. What are your interests outside of your child? Write a list for yourself of the things you would want to do just for you, and then take time every day to do one. Nurture yourself, nourish your spirit with the things that bring you joy, and remember you are a beautiful and unique woman who deserves to feel happy. There is a book I read maybe 8 years ago called "Feeling Good". Self-help books were never my style but this one impressed me. It was a book on how to turn all your negative thought into positive thought, which research has found to improve brain chemistry and emotion. I spent a long time doing cognitive exercises where, every time I had a negative thought, I thought the opposite positive thought to myself in order to retrain my brain to work in positive cycles rather than negative. Sounds silly, but it was a huge help to me. I know my words can't make the feelings go away, but I hope my encouragement will help you find ways to improve them. Depression is a deep, dark hole we can fall into in these tender and trying years. If you can't find ways to pick yourself up, by all means, find a professional to talk to. Best of luck to you. This happens to the best of us, but you can overcome it.

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