Postnatal Depression

[Bonnie90x]

Hi all, just wondering if anyone would be willing to share their experience of postnatal depression with me? I'm pretty much in the thick of it and it's all a bit frightening.

How long does it typically last? What helped you and your recovery? How did it present itself?

Any first hand accounts would be really helpful.

Hi, I’m fairly sure I’m suffering with PND. Had it undiagnosed with my first 11 years ago. I’m horrendously tearful and absolutely fucking raging all the time. My partner is about as much use as a chocolate fireguard and in general feel like the only conversation I ever have is with myself in the mirror or when one of my children need something out of the fridge. My 7 week old is awful at sleeping, my days usually start at about 3 and I must wear him in his sling 8 hours a day just to get some peace, my two year old is going through terrible twos and I actually want to give her away. I currently harvest so much resentment towards them and then experience the worst mum guilt because I do love them but it’s just really hard. I’ve got no friends who have children who could relate to me. I’ve read some of the thread and some of the other women’s experiences have been so much worse than what mine is, so if I’m just being dramatic please send me a virtual slap and tell me to shut tbe fuck up.

I don’t think you’re being dramatic. It sounds incredibly stressful and I applaud you for recognising that you may be experiencing PND!
is there a professional service you can reach out to? I know waiting lists are long, but I got bumped up the list a bit when I asked for therapy at the end of my pregnancy. I said I was willing to see a “student” (fully qualified and experienced therapist but one who had just trained in a new technique) so that also helped get me seen faster.

I also think I have PND. I just broke up with my partner. We seem to have the same fights every time we fight, as in the same issues come up, and I just can’t add keeping a relationship afloat to my list. I have two girls, 15 months and 2 months. DP doesn’t work so I definitely don’t parent alone and even though I’ve ended it we are still living together and will do for the foreseeable. I’m the breadwinner too. I just secured a better, part time job that’ll give me more human contact, but I just can’t take the pressure of trying to keep the relationship going.
we share the nights but I do the hard shift (12- morning), I also do all the family admin and am trying to buy a house and plan renovations. I just moved back from abroad and have had two babies and a termination in three years, along with Covid and all the isolation that went with it.
feel very unraveled and not in the mood to look after myself at all. I am generally okay with the babies, apart from sadness that they’d be better off without me and then guilt at having thought that.

its all just really rubbish, isn’t it? Hearing other folk going through similar stuff really helps though.