Post-natal Depression

Lauren - posted on 12/23/2009

Everyone experiences post-partum differently so I would say any change in mood or behavior (big or small) that has prevented you from healthy interaction with your husband and family should be looked at. Even Insomnia can be considered a symptom so I would just call my OBGYN asap and ask for medication so you can feel "normal" again. You'll never be the person you were before children because now you are a mother and that changes everything (mostly in a positive way, but it still takes some getting used to.) You are not alone, so many women, including myself, experience depression after child birth, the sooner you receive treatment the sooner you'll feel better and be able to be the Mother you always dreamed you'd be! No one is perfect so don't be hard on yourself if things are harder than you expected them to be, I definitely felt OVERWHELMED for a long time but I made it so much harder for myself by placing these unreal expectations on myself, if you don't have time to shower and the house is a mess it's OK as long as your baby is happy and healthy all the rest can fall away for a while. There will be so much time for housework and showers once they are a little older so try and enjoy the time you have with your little one, free of expectations!
Contact whoever delivered your last child and tell them you might have post-partum depression, Dr.'s take that illness very seriously, especially your OBGYN, and they will schedule an appointment ASAP and then you can consider your options. Don't feel ashamed or embarrassed, your a new Mom and your hormones are out of whack and it's very common, there's no shame in helping yourself it's honorable and once you overcome the baby blues who knows how many other new Mommy's you'll encourage to reach out and ask for help also! Us Moms need to stick together and uplift one another, no one in this world understands what you're going through like other Mom's so you are doing the right thing by reaching out! Good luck!

Evelyn - posted on 12/23/2009

GO SEE YOU DOCTOR, AND LOOK INTO A SUPPORT GROUP ASAP!! You are not alone a lot of woman feel that way, but you need to take charge of it right now before it takes over your life and steals you happiness with your baby!!!!

Katharine - posted on 12/22/2009

I have a 27mn yr old and a 1yr old...I had it with both. It's a horrible feeling to not be stable when your babies need you the most, and unfortunatley my husband got the most of my instablity. The big sign for me to seek medical attention and seek therapy is when my friends and family started to recommend it. It is very important to take care of yourself for your babies sake. I never had ill feelings towards my children but I did towards myself and my husband. Looking back on it now it is all a blurr. If I didn't have a support system of people to help I don't know what would of happend. I think it's normal after the frist few weeks but if it's been months you should talk to your OB! You might need medication to get u yourself back to normal but my understanding is you probably won't have to stay on it forever. I had a lot of anxiety, self-doubt, irrational thouhgts, insecurities, and feeling emotionally out of controll. I descibe that feeling as one of the worst in the world. If you are unsure PLEASE talk to a professional about it. I thinks it's the best thing for you and your bundle of joy.

Daniele - posted on 12/22/2009

I didn't really go through PPD until my daughter was 8 months old or so. I could barely get out of bed in the morning and even just taking care of her was exhausting. I hated my job, my life and I resented everyone. The doctor put me on Zoloft. I took it for about 2 months and then weaned off it. It worked wonders. And, it's safe to breastfeed while on it as long as the dose does not go above 100 mg per day. And, the generic is available for $4 a month. Good luck. There are options, and help available. You're not alone!!

Erin - posted on 12/22/2009

Check out the postpartum depression group on here as well. Its different for everyone but for me, I was crying all the time and just so angry (my poor DH!) I just couldn't control my emotions and was often unreasonable. I tried to be the "perfect Mom" to my detriment. I didn't end up bonding with my daughter until she was about 2 months old (although I did everything "perfectly" and went through all the motions she felt like she was someone else kid and I was just babysitting). Medication helped a lot although I didn't seek help until about 4 months after her birth. If it happens again next time (I'm 14 weeks along with out second) I'll be sure to get into the doc right away. It doesn't hurt to chat with your family doctor and keep in mind if you do end up on meds it takes a good 4 weeks to start to take effect. PPD is very common, 1 out of 5 women will get postpartum depression and 80% of women get the postpartum blues. So please don't feel alone!

Rebecca - posted on 12/22/2009

hi im rebecca, i had it with 3 of my 4 kids and i actually felt suicidal until i went on anti depressants, i love my babies i just felt I wasnt good enough for them and they deserved better and i didnt have any family support/friends , or anyone but my partner(who wasnt very supportive), so everything just seemed too much to deal with. Being on medication doesnt have to be permanant but i dont know what i would of done without them, they really helped me get back to NORMAL, any way talk to your clinic nurse or doctor they will HELP u, and i hope my advise has been some help for u :) chin up it does get better and even if i dont know u , i CARE and fully understand xxx

Sara - posted on 12/22/2009

Hey,
I had it after my first and third children. I wasn't one that was crying all the time, I just found doing the most simple tasks completely exhausting and too overwhelming. There are a lot of different symptoms and tearfulness is only one of them. I found help through a perinatal psychologist and a kinesiologist. They both helped tremendously - I didn't want to go down the drug path so the kinesiologist helped through a more natural approach. Everyone is different and your symptoms might be different but if you are finding it hard to make it through the day then you should talk to someone. Don't be afraid to ask for help - even though we wear our undies on the outside even Super Mums need a little help some times :)

Katie - posted on 12/22/2009

hi i had it with my little boy its not very nice is it !!!!! i basically felt like crying all the time i was happy because a had my little boy but just always wanted to cry even the smallest tasks seemed impossible, i sometimes felt like i didnt want my little boy even though i loved him so much, my advice would be to go and see your doctor they will do a questionaire with u and will give u a score to see whether you are suffering from post-natal depression or not. Remember its not a crime to ask for help -hope this helps and hope you get urself sorted soon x