I've got severe postnatal depression ask me anything

[lomasmax]

There's been times I would have liked a way of asking people uncomfortable honest questions so if I can be of any help.......

Is this your first baby? How old is he/she? Are you on medication, does it help?

I don't have any questions (I was admitted to a mother & baby unit for six weeks with my first) but wanted to wish you all the best for your recovery.

I am sorry you are going through this. Can I ask what you've found most helpful that your family and friends have done to support you?

Did you have any mental health issues before you had your baby?

Is this your first baby? How old is he/she? Are you on medication, does it help?

Yes, my first baby. Baby is 7 months. I am on antidepressants. I feel they help slightly along with a lot of other things I've done myself to try to move forward.

I am sorry you are going through this. Can I ask what you've found most helpful that your family and friends have done to support you?
What I've found most helpful is practical support. My husband taking baby out for a few hours, talking baby into spare room and doing all night feeds/wake ups. My parents have had baby a lot more than I would have thought was right at such a young age. Probably to stay once a week with maybe an afternoon once a week too.

Did you have any mental health issues before you had your baby?
Nothing ever diagnosed or treated but I've always had an anxiety problem (that I managed well) and have had some very down times in my life. I started feeling depressed when I was pregnant and then it hit me like a car crash after my first night with the baby.

How do you feel about baby now? It must be a terrible thing to cope with, so sorry op.

When did you first start to wonder you may have pnd? How did you approach it with your husband? 💐

How do you feel about baby now? It must be a terrible thing to cope with, so sorry op.
Thank you. I absolutely adore my daughter. I think I always did but couldn't stand being on my own with her at all. I feel very guilty to her and to myself at the things we have missed out on. I think we are starting to build a bond now. She put her arms out to me this week for the first time. I cried happy tears for the first time in so long

When did you first start to wonder you may have pnd? How did you approach it with your husband?
It was 6 weeks in when I finally lost it. I think everyone around me could see I was a wreck but I was getting so little sleep at that point I wasn't thinking straight enough to really assess things. My mum and husband did what they could to give me sleep here and there but it would never be enough. At 6 weeks I booked a hotel online and told my husband I was leaving and that I couldn't cope. (I didn't end up going) So I suppose from then we all started talking more and taking it seriously. My mum took my daughter that night (for the first time overnight). It was probably about 12 weeks when I went to the doctor.

Do you think there's anything that would have made you all for help sooner? Did you know about pnd before this?

Just wanted to hop on to say thank you. I am well now but I had pnd after both my children (like you no actual MH problems before) and this is exactly what I needed!

You are very brave start this thread.

Hang on in there, I wish you a speedy recovery.

Do you think there's anything that would have made you all for help sooner? Did you know about pnd before this? I didn't know all that much about PND. Didn't have a clue how debilitating it was. I though (awfully) that it'd be something you could pull yourself out of. My health visitor left a few weeks after I'd had my daughter and the new one didn't got in touch for months so maybe I slipped through the net in that sense. I also had the fear that my daughter would be taken away from me if they knew how bad I was so even to this day I put on a bit of a brave face about it all.

Thank you for all your messages of support.

Feel free to PM me of anyone wants to talk.

I'm glad you're getting support and offering support to others is really great. I have a friend who suffered pnd who now volunteers and helps as someone for new mums to chat with.

Do you think you would find things okay if you have another baby someday?

Do you think you would find things okay if you have another baby someday?
I think about this a lot. I really hope so. We tried for three years for my daughter and went through fertility treatment. (She was actually conceived naturally when we were taking a break from it all) so maybe we wouldn't be able to have another baby. We will try in a few years. I will seek help immediately if I recognise any signs of my PND returning. I feel I've missed out on a lot of the early months and would love to be able to see all that with a clear mind.

@lomasmax your incredibly brave.

Please don’t feel guilty, your little daughter won’t remember and you have been ill. If you’d had a broken arm you wouldn’t feel so bad about needing support and help.

Good luck love and be kind to yourself

How was the birth? Do you think there might be a connection between the birth and PND?

How was the birth? Do you think there might be a connection between the birth and PND?
The birth was the exact opposite to what I'd hoped for. I was induced, I had an epidural, we ended up in theatre but they eventually got her out with forceps. I think that played a part in it. Along with a painful episiotomy, exhaustion, struggling to breastfeed. It was like I just wasn't equipped enough to then start dealing with the hormones and this baby who apparently needed me.