To ask if you're less hormonally mental with your second born than your first?

[Flamingo1980]

Two of my friends have just had their second babies and say they feel much less crazy than when they had their first babies. My only child is two and when I had her I was so wrecked with hormones I just cried all the time and imagined people were going to harm her or she would just die for no reason.
It's really put me off having a second but now My friends are saying the mental-mum thoughts are not so bad the second time around.. What do you lot think....?

[JenniferYellowHat1980]

I was worse with DC2 as neither of them slept well. He was (is) a Velcro baby and I felt terribly guilty about not giving DD what she needed. Money worries compounded it.

[LonelySatsuma]

I was a totally different person after having DC2, so much happier and more relaxed than I had been after DC1, but I agree with pp - not sure its hormones, more that its not such an enormous shock to the system and that you feel more confident and so more relaxed about things. There is none of the PFB angst, basically

For me, it was also linked to my birth experience, though - traumatic with DC1, a doddle with DC2 - and to sleep deprivation - DC1 was a rubbish sleeper, DC2 slept like a dream.

[scaevola]

Whether the thread title needs editing depends on whether OP actually means MH issues.

Because it really does depend on the diagnosis. There is a strong possibility that some conditions will not only recur, but may do come back considerably worse. Those who are "mental" enough to require admission to a specialist using, for example, for post-natal psychosis, often do not go on to have further children because of the MH risks involved in subsequent pregnancies.

PTSD requires specialist intervention, and if linked to childbirth may well recur if not treated effectively in the interim, and may recur despite that.

PND may well worsen with each pregnancy.

[Doublebubblebubble]

With my pfb DD 6 I couldn't do anything without her, didn't have a hot dinner for about 2 years, LITERALLY wouldn't let anyone hold her, ironed the curtains because I thought the hv would tell the ss and take her away. That went with time obviously. Roll on ds who is now 8 weeks. I feel entirely less overwhelmed. I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING!! I accept the help I'm offered. I let him cry whilst I'm eating my dinner etc. Second time round is most definitely (imho) better x

[Doublebubblebubble]

Also I went undiagnosed with pnd for dd Just made the diagnosis myself and told hv this pregnancy...

[littlefrenchonion]

This thread reminds me of the early days with DD1 (now 7mo) - I agree with another poster that it's a survival thing. I remember being scared of taking her near the closed window in case I tripped and sent her flying through the glass, I hated taking her down the stairs in case I dropped her and I had visions of tripping over and squashing her.

I felt just like a dog I once knew, who had a litter of puppies. The first week or so she was manically obsessed with them - you could see the panic in her eyes if they went out of her sight, bless her.

Thankfully it stopped after a while - glad to hear I might not go through that again with subsequent babies!