Is this PND? How did it transpire for others?

[User1213]

I’m nearly 6MO and I’m up and down like a yo-yo. I’ve not had an unbroken sleep probably this year. Love my children to bits but just feel sense of doom. I have a very unwell family member who I’m concerned about, I’ve accused my DH of cheating even though he’s given absolutely zero signs and I trust 100%. I just feel like I want to run and away and have a break. I feel manic majority of the time like I’m always rushing to get these done and completed. I could just be overwhelmed by having two under 3 but those who have had PND how did it transpire?

[Hiddenvoice]

Pnd is different for everyone who experiences it as we all have different coping mechanisms and tolerate things differently.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed and wanting to run away then please don’t feel panicked about this. I was very similar with my pnd. I just felt like everything east getting on top of me, even the smallest of things. I snapped at everhone and just felt wiped out. After speaking with the go I felt better and felt like there was an answer to how I was feeling.

For me the last straw was something so small and silly. I was reading my dd a book about friendship and then burst into tears in the middle of a word. My dh was just outside the bedroom and came in to see what was wrong and I just couldn’t stop crying. That’s when I finally spoke someone.

It’s hard being a mum. You have so much going on in your head so please don’t feel guilty but you probably need a break. Is there anyone who can watch the children just so you can have a couple of hours peace?

Id suggest going to the gp, I know it’s a big step but for me it really helped.

[User1213]

Thank you.
What did the GP do for you? I’m reluctant for medication but I do feel I need someone to talk too about it. Yes I have plenty of support and eldest goes to nursery so there are days when it’s just vie and baby but then there’s all the house admin to do.

[Hiddenvoice]

The gp offered medication and the opportunity to speak to the practice mental health nurse. She phoned within a couple of days and was lovely. She provided loads of resources and some cbt classes to do. They were nice little videos and some relaxation techniques. Overall it was nice to speak to someone who actively listened and just made me feel heard. She did suggest medication as I was quite low in mood so put me on a very low dose of medication for a short time. We talked regularly and I weaned off medication fairly quickly as I didn’t really want to be on anything.

Thats the thing, maybe a break from little ones and house admin, even for an hour might help you relax but I know I don’t feel relaxed until the house feels tidy and the washing is sorted!

[allthepeaches]

My baby was around eight weeks old when my PND began. My work made my whole team redundant and I had to apply for a new role there to keep my employment. Then I started to feel myself becoming more tearful and stressed and my sleep began to suffer. I basically had a breakdown and was barely sleeping more than an hour a night. I remember becoming very fixated on my baby's health and sleep and felt very paranoid that my husband would leave me. I also felt like I needed to just kind of go away and rest and not be part of our life (wasn't suicidal though).

I had a lot of counselling that I paid for privately which helped a lot (my NHS talking therapy sessions made me keep a sleep diary which made me obsess over sleep so I went private) and then eventually I really needed antidepressants too. It's been about two years since I started to get better and I'm in a great place now, but it all feels so fresh still. A lot of what you're saying rings very true to me.

Take care and accept all the help you can. If you don't want to be apart from your baby that's fine. Treat yourself to something nice or do something nice for yourself every day, even if it's just using a nice glass for your drink or lighting a candle in the evening. It all really adds up! Every little thing. X