Tell me, non judgementally, about mother baby units

[theotherfossilsister]

As my title says, please tell me non judgementally about these units.

Should I fight admission tooth and nail if proposed or go with it? Never been a psychiatric inpatient.

Heard only good things. Thinking of you OP. Do take the space if offered.

@XenoBitch they might be ok with me going to live with pil. They might have one of those big scary meetings about it to decide on a plan. Kind of like a discharge planning meeting except you've not been admitted.

A friends Daughter was in one with her child. She said it saved her life and always spoke highly of the staff.

Sending you good wishes OP

I went to a mother and baby unit when my youngest was 9 weeks old. I was suffering with severe intrusive thoughts that had started to make me consider harming my baby as well as myself.
Min the unit i was able to be calm and got help with anything I needed emotionally without pressure. It saved me and my baby.

By the by, the staff also noticed my baby wasn’t progressing as she should and started her on a diagnosis path that I was in no position to notice she needed. I am grateful to the unit on multiple levels.

Ex SW, the experience I've had of them is that they can be incredibly helpful and nurturing, and are few and far between so not widely available.
Best of luck to you

A friend of mine felt like this after having her second DC 3 years ago. A few weeks in a mother and baby unit turned her around and she made a good recovery. Please take the help on offer op, I'm so sorry you're going through this.

Sorry you’re having a hard time OP, I hope whatever support is offered for you helps.

My mum had bipolar and had PND after I was born, we were in a mother & baby unit for a couple of months after I was born and it really helped her get back on track.

Sending lots of love to you & your baby, if you’re offered a space then do take it, they’re there to help you both.

girlllll listen to me. I had a traumatic birth- I had intrusive thoughts and just got diagnosed with post natal ocd and PTSD. You’re gonna be ok. You’re not gonna harm yourself or your baby. It’s all just a hormonal imbalance and stress. Please try setraline it stopped my thoughts within days. Also stay distracted- sleep. I stayed awake watching my baby for breathing and in the end I just gave in and slept! You need it!

also your thoughts are totally what I had! You’ll be ok. You’ve got to fight your head and tell yourself no- it’s just a thought it will go away. And stay calm and distracted with baby. Honestly ignore the thoughts. Accept them but let them flow. I’ve had it for three years now- flared up bad before setraline increased. I would suggest it and sleep… please let me stress this isn’t a psychotic episode at all you’re not going crazy you are just hyper vigilant and in protective mode it’s normal you just need your thoughts to calm. I’ve been there. Big hugs and glad you’ve got support xx

Biggest advice I got from my counsellor recently was you can’t control your thoughts- if I tell you to think of a pink elephant what do you do?
it comes straight to kind. But you can control your actions and your in control of them!

Thank you. Got a little sleep but woke up shouting 'no, no, no'

Just trying to calm down by playing round on my phone and focusing on the fact that Ds has been fed, rather than the fact he's had to have formula.v

Thank you @FTMFML ,@UnadulteratedCat @Cakeandcoffee93 - it's wonderful to hear other folks came through this. I hate these thoughts. I'm on fluoxotine so unsure if I can take setrealine too.

Glad your feeling better. Stressful nightmares are normal- waking up shouting is normal with PTSD.
its just your mind processing everything. You’ve got to know you are the best mother to your son and as long as he’s fed and looked after that’s all that matters. It’s also nice for me in a way- knowing that you have post natal ocd- as I haven’t known anyone else with it as extreme as I had it. Honestly I found increasing my anti depressants quietened my thoughts right down to inaudible. But also nature walks, exposing my self to fears and realising the confidence in myself that my daughter needs me and loves me just like I love and need her. And that i would never hurt her or myself- it’s just a protective love thing that some don’t get- it’s also worked to my benefit now it’s under control. I am quick at reacting to danger when it actually happens( which is rare ), I’m bob on with her health and medical needs and being her mother makes me more in tune. I’m self aware of my own triggers- not as much social media, news, negative stories etc unless I’m reading something that will help me then it’s not worth it. Hope you sleep good tonight, make a cup of tea and relax x

Thank you 0@Cakeandcoffee93

I keep dropping off then waking up shouting. I'm back in the spare room despite dp wanting to sleep next me

Maybe I could go on beast pump to try to get his eighty ml

I appreciate what you're doing with breast pumping. I did it for my eldest (for about a week) because I felt so incredibly guilty about formula, but pumping is phenomenally difficult and it tanked my MH.
Please, please know that fed is best.There are millions of kids and adults running around today, who are perfectly healthy and have never had a drop of breastmilk. You honestly couldn't tell a BF child from a FF one.

I just want to echo what everyone else has said. Well done you for engaging with help. You are such a strong person and an amazing mum.
If the offer is still available I would go in as an inpatient. My mum had to have inpatient treatment for her MH, and it was the first thing that really helped her.

This woman writes about staying in a mother and baby unit. Seems it really helped her.

twitter.com/sankles/status/1311966645955497984?s=46&t=iujjifHzBLMUEzWZ8SfHHQ

She’s also written an update with tips:

twitter.com/sankles/status/1557684976870621186?s=46&t=iujjifHzBLMUEzWZ8SfHHQ

Hope you feel much better soon!

I only got to express for a week- as long as baby gets coloscum that’s main thing . Try sleep during day when baby sleeps xx

I'm going up to hospital now from meeting

I truly hope whatever’s decided you and your family and baby are ok.
I’ve been theough similar trauma with my ds premature also my trauma came out much later and in different ways and I was eventually diagnosed with bipolar 1. I’ve always been told the trauma and lack of sleep is what lead to it.

I’ve watched the Louis Theroux documentary on mother and baby units and they seemed very caring places and the mothers in the programme all seemed well on their way to recovery.
good luck op you sound like a brilliant mother.

Thank you. We're being admitted tonight. Waited in a holding room all day and spoke to psychiatrist and listened to the news on our phones. Dp going to his parents for some support while I'm in. They say it's severe post natal OCD.

Well done op for going! So glad there’s this support in place. You’re very brave and doing the best for you and your baby! You will be feeling better in no time I’m sure. Please keep us updated! X

If you can, have a read of Laura Canty's book Something to Live For. I've not been to a MBU but I found it an informative account. Take care, OP.

So glad you are getting the support you need, you are so brave for making that call and accessing the support to get yourself better :-) This video shows what MBUs are like inside and also has two mothers talking about their experiences on MBUs - it’s for a mother and baby charity so hopefully an unbiased and useful viewpoint:-) m.youtube.com/watch?v=FqPQMEG468o

Ah you poor love. I've only ever heard good things, and inpatient care was exactly what got my mother through an episode a year or so back. Lots of love and luck to you. 💚

❤️ lots of love and strength to you OP. You will get through this and there are brighter days ahead for you x

I'm a mental health nurse. While I've not worked in a MBU, I've visited a couple and our Trust has one. The ones I've visited have always seemed much calmer and therapeutic than a generic mental health ward. I think you should go for it.