may have antenatal depression, what to do?

Just bumpint!

Hi Enthusia,

Was just wondering how you're feeling now? Hope you feeling a lot happier

I suffered from depression a couple of years back, and then Antenatal depression last year [DS is now 10 weeks]. I took AD's because I knew it was healthier for me and baby if I could function - and was signed off. I actually ended up stopping the AD's about the 32nd week of pregnancy as I felt better about things..and now, even with broken sleep at night and a darling son of ten weeks, I have never felt better - even though of course, it's always on my mind that I may slip again. Baby seems fine despite me taking AD's during pregnancy.

Hope that helps.

Enthusia, be careful about the strength of any lavender products you use too early in pregnancy won't you? My midwife is trained in aromatherapy massge and stuff like that and she advises caution esp in 1st trimester. I agree that you should get your GP to sign you off for a couple of weeks - you might find the total rest really helps. AND sucks - I am almost 40 weeks and can see the "light at the end of the tunnel". For me all the hassle after birth is so preferable to the 9 months before.

Oh BTW, lavender baths, sleep drops (Avent do them) on your pillow at night, also Camomile Tea (although it takes some getting used to helps - I found it calmed the baby at night, so I didn't get as many strong kicks!).

Oh BTW, lavender baths, sleep drops (Avent do them) on your pillow at night, also Camomile Tea (although it takes some getting used to helps - I found it calmed the baby at night, so I didn't get as many strong kicks!).

MissChief,

My GP is also a herbal practioner and believes strongly in alternative medicine (he also prescribes herbal powders for my children, i.e. croup etc). I found Sepia and Pulsatilla a great help, also Magnesium OK and Evening Primrose Oil, plus getting lots of sleep and, of course, time!

If you don't feel you can face work, get the doctor to sign you off for a couple of weeks, at least you won't have the worry of dreading going to work and having to 'cope' with the demands of work. Not having to worry about work, might help and it would give you the chance to get more rest (and sleep), it could mean all the difference. I know some people tell you, "work will take your mind off feeling low", but in my case it didn't. I just didn't feel like my old self and I needed time to be with my family and get the support I felt I needed - everyone at work just said, "pull yourself together"

i have completed 9 weeks today.

Everyone else is telling me to see how i feel after 1st trimester too, it is just at times i wonder how i will make it till then and still function, ie, work etc. I guess it is a waiting game but i just feel so helpless

Sorry, I forgot to ask you, how many weeks are you now?

Used to use the bach remedies at times b4 pg but did not know if they were safe during pg. I take it sepia is 'safe' too.

Why don't you just try the Homopathic remedy Sepia (your doctor can prescribe it for you), it's very gentle and it might be all you need to feel more positive, also have you tried Bach Flower Remedies, I sweared by them when I was pregnant and also during labour!

Thanks Browny, was writing as you were. I am meant to see gp next week sometime. Think I will do work on Monday and see what happens (whether i stay the full day) and go and see gp either sameday or Tuesday - i think my main prob is knowing whether this is ddepression or normal early emotional times that will naturally get better

misschief - thanks - yes is first pg, everything is so new and i feel i have changed into a totally different person. used to be highly motivated and focused but for past 3 weeks haven't seen the point in any of it. Can't seem to be happy and none of my favourite activities etc help. But i don't know if this is depression or just hormones or just the early weeks or what, but i don't know how to make it better and i don't know if and when it will stop. Do i just continue as i am in the hope it will get better, when do you decide this isn't right? I am so confused.

Enthsia, forget waiting - go and see your G.P. as soon as you can - brisk walks don't help when you're feeling this sad. I've suffered with PND after having my children, and I now know that IT ISN'T IN MY HEAD, it's actually a chemical imbalance and like any illness you need to get treatment for it. I know AD's are safe in pregnancy also for anyone reading this thread (particularly Prozac). There is absolutely no point feeling so sad and alone when there is help out there - please tell your G.P. and you will start to feel like your old self - PROMISE!

Hi, I posted an ante-natal depression thread on the pg topic area and after reading other people's accounts didn't feel mine was too bad as I have no bad feelings towards baby and want to be pg. However, I can not get out of bed again today, I can't stop crying, can see no lights at end of any tunnels and basically just want to run away. I said to dh that what i would like at mo is to be taken into hospital so that everything would be done for me and i wouldn't need to think about anything and that baby and i would be looked after. thing is dh is fab and i am really supported, but i just can't swing my feelings around. Went see midwife for booking in appt as only 9 weeks and she thought i may have AND, told me to see gp who said he didn't think i was very bad and that i should try brisk walks and see how i go when i go back to work after easter hols on Monday. However, i am dreading work, yet don't know if he is right and that i will feel better with something to do, but also don't know how i will cope as so emotional and knackered. I feel really stuck and have no idea what to do. Please help!

MissChief - Don't know about the insomnia, but my GP recommended Sepia for my PND after my first baby was born. HTH.

I scored 18 on the Edinburgh Test at 32 wks pregnant with my 2nd child. I hit a real low. GP prescribed AD's which I didn't take coz of the side effects (the older AD's are the only ones you can take safely during pregnancy). I started taking my Sepia again and that helped with anxiety and depression.
Hope you feel better soon.

see your midwife again, and tell her that you are feeling depressed, she then should refer you to the correct team to help you, especially if you have a history of depression.
i had antenatal depression with my 2nd but did not tell anyone, i was angry all the time with everybody, i was also tearful and couldn't/wouldn't speak to anyone as my husband had said in the past that depression was for people who were weak (he has since taken that back and apologises wholeheartedly). because i didn't get help and pretended everythnig was fine, i had post natal depression as well and it took me 2 miserable years to seek help, i now feel much better with counselling and no ad.
please please speak to someone, it upsets me to think of other people going through what i did, when there is so much help out there.
but well done for taking the first step in admitting that you are depressed.
good luck and take care!

misschief, I have suffered PND twice (still on ad's for the second time) and also suffered antenatal depression, if you would like to cat me feel free. I do know what you are going through.