AMA
I've been an inpatient on a mother and baby unit, ask me anything
silversplodge · 25/04/2020 16:37
I will answer honestly
silversplodge · 25/04/2020 16:46
I had severe postnatal depression with psychotic symptoms. I could feel and smell shadowa coming to harm my baby. I wrote a suicide note and wasn't getting better with community support.
Fred578 · 25/04/2020 22:54
Ah bless you. That must have been terrible. How are you now?
silversplodge · 26/04/2020 05:11
@MiniChoc and @fred578 I am not psychotic or suicidal anymore, but still very depressed, don't enjoy anything, struggle just to make it through the day. I think it did help, but it was no bed of roses.
@Mlou32 most staff were friendly and caring, a couple were hopeless and lazy. The best ones would play with the babies and keep them occupied.
Thighdentitycrisis · 26/04/2020 05:36
How long have you been there OP, and how long are you expecting to stay?
Spiffingly · 26/04/2020 05:40
Sounds like you were close to doing some scary stuff. Why did they 'let you keep' the baby with you while you were struggling so much? Babies don't help people who are struggling!? What I mean is, why couldn't family take the baby while you had a good rest?
Chottie · 26/04/2020 05:54
silver I'm really sorry to hear that you are still feeling very depressed. Do you have any friends or family support? 
Mlou32 · 26/04/2020 09:06
Thank you for your last reply.
Also was it a place to just be and get some rest and for them to keep an eye on you or were there therapies and things on offer?
silversplodge · 26/04/2020 09:44
@Thighdentitycrisis I was there a couple of months. It would probably have been longer but they let people go home if they wanted when coronavirus became an issue.
@Spiffingly they think it's best to keep the bond between mum and baby, and it's all closely supervised to make sure it's safe. You can only be in an MBU until the baby is 1, once they are a day older you have to be in a general psych ward and the baby has to be at home. If have refused to go if o couldn't take my baby. But you're right that it isn't a restful place because you're still having to look after a baby.
@Chottie thanks. I find my partner really quite unhelpful. I have friends but they can only do so much. It is what it is.
@Mlou32 it really wasn't restful, I didn't get much sleep there. There were activities every day, e.g. art therapy, movement therapy, walking group, cooking group, but they all got cancelled once covid struck, so then it was more a place just to be watched.
MiniChoc · 26/04/2020 09:45
Sorry to hear you're still very depressed OP. I hope the light comes back for you soon.
Mlou32 · 26/04/2020 12:02
I'm sorry to hear that you're still feeling depressed. Is there anything that helped while you were an inpatient that you could maybe try and implement in your day to day routine while at home?
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