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.

@theotherfossilsister I used to work on a mother and baby unit. Rest assure anybody can need psychiatric help especially after having a baby. You'll be treated and at the same time your baby will be well cared for. Don't be afraid as you'll both benefit from your stay.
Do hope you feel better soon.

Well done for accepting admission, and I hope you start to feel better soon.

You've had such a traumatic experience, let others help you process things and support you.

A friend was in a MBU and speaks really highly of the staff and experience. Be kind to yourself.

A good friend of my wrote this book. Her Mother & Baby unit saved her life.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Something-Live-Post-Natal-Depression-Saved/dp/B08MFPXBX5/ref=mpssa111?adgrpid=52641780429&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpeaYBhDXARIsAEzItbGEtrRacvOhMXhzpfqakLqZOeXd56Rqpl0PXWPifZMBSvRB4ZyrOfAaAjgkEALwwcB&hvadid=259096374477&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=1006622&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=3024053629368386538&hvtargid=kwd-301906827308&hydadcr=136955_1820776&keywords=something+to+live+for&qid=1662665074&sr=8-1

Mine saved my life with my son. If you refuse you are more then likely putting your child at risk.

Thinking of you today and sending you love and strength for your ongoing recovery

I’m glad you’re getting the support you need and deserve, OP. I’ve been on a M&B ward. Went in when DD was 6 weeks, out within 4 weeks a changed person. I had intrusive thoughts and severe anxiety. Happy to chat if this would help

Also thinking of you op I hope this will be what you need to be well again.

You should go.

They are good therapeutic places..

Thank you all. I'm feeling really agitated here and scared but less so than I felt the day I was admitted. I love my baby so much and this is the hardest thing I've done.

I have extreme postpartum OCD. Currently feeling better seems impossible and I was scared at home as well.

I might ask them to the ds to the nursery tonight. I've been assessed as not a risk to hom but I'm so scared.

How courageous, you recognised a problem, sought help, took advice and doing what is best for you and your family. Despite none of this feeling comfortable - so much admiration. Good luck and I hope you have the best team around you 💐 it sounds like you!

You're being really brave and doing the right thing. I'm not surprised you feel on edge at the moment, it's a completely new environment and situation to be in. But you are safe and everyone there wants to look after you and your DS and help you get better. 🙂

@theotherfossilsister please speak to staff as in my experience the medication they give can give adverse reactions. Tell them and they can change/adjust medication and I promise this small change can have a big effect. Stay strong and big hand held. ❤️

Can I ask what medication you’re on? Apologies if you’ve already said and I’ve missed it. Feeling worse on meds at the beginning is extremely common and indeed expected. But you WILL feel better soon. If there’s the opportunity to hand your baby over so you can get some rest use it. My baby was very unsettled and didn’t sleep so they took her away for a few hours, enabling me to catch up on much needed sleep. It makes all the difference. I also used to hand baby over if I wanted to go for a walk on the grounds to clear my head. These are things often not available to you at home. Use them, it’s what they’re there for

This might sound strange but I don't want to name my medication as I don't want to.know anything about it or start looking it up. At this point total surrender to the psychiatrist feels safest and easiest and if anyone says anything about my medication it might make me question it which I'm not in a place to do.

Yesterday was hard but today will be better.

As hard as it is, it sounds like you are in the right place and doing the right thing in accepting help and treatment.

I wish you all the best and well done for taking this really big step to get help for you and your baby💐 You both deserve better and this is the first step.

@theotherfossilsister do hope you're feeling a bit better.

Thank you,been up and down but beginning to understand the reasons I'm in here and what led me to becoming so I'll. Baby is wonderful but the pregnancy, birth and aftermath were awful, especially the hypoxia, plus my self doubt about my ability to be a mother as someone with autism.

Discharge planning meeting tomorrow but will work towards a slow discharge. I'm not well enough to look after myself at the moment and the nursery nurses are doing lots of DS's care. I'm going to be upfront about it and tell them that. I think they're looking at a night home here and there for now and weaning me off the sedatives

Ah, @theotherfossilsister : so good to hear an update - you’ve been on my mind :-) Really good the the unit has given you some time to reflect, although I’m sure that hasn’t been an easy space, and that you are feeling able to take some control of the next steps too. Really hope the meeting tomorrow goes well and you are able to continue getting the support you need. Sending in MN hugs.

Hello, I'm meant to be going home with community support on Wednesday. I'll have lots of cpn visits, a nursery nurse to support me feeding, home start, social work, psychiatrist and psychologist.

I'm quite scared of going home but they keep saying how well I'm doing. I'm incredibly anxious and keep checking my baby hasn't died in the night, but am doing this less and no longer believe I need to sacrifice my life so he can live. He's premature and so precious to me, but I have to distinguish between normal worries about SIDS and weird, ritualistic, obsessive behaviour. It's very very difficult.

I'll miss having nursery nurses here to help settle him at night and advise on feeding (he is now getting bf and formula and it seems to be working except he poos immediately after every breastfeed, which makes me anxious.)

I'm no longer angry with DP. Coming home with lorazepam and fluoxetine. I feel uncomfortable with benzos but am on half a mg and tapering. I'm also not taking at night as I don't feel safe doing night care if I have one and the doctors agree.

My son is perfect and I still worry about him all the time but I'm beginning to love more than worry. I have to understand that excessive worry is not protective and it anything can be counter protective. It's so hard and a long journey.

@theotherfossilsister wow you sound as though you've come so far in the last few weeks. So pleased for you and you'll not be alone, you'll get backup from various agencies. Well done for being so brave to go into the unit. Don't be afraid to ask for help again if it's needed. So proud of you.

Just been reading your posts OP, what a difficult time you’ve had! Hopefully the m&b unit has given your recovery the head start needed and things will follow in time.

I remember watching a documentary about the unit in Winchester several years ago and just thinking what a wonderful place. It seems like the very best of care and quite miraculous given the state of mental healthcare more generally.

I had quite severe pnd with my first child (but didn’t realise at the time, and didn’t tell anyone about how I was feeling, including extreme anxiety and intrusive thoughts). I was totally fine after my second baby though.

Sending you all love, hoping things get easier.

It is a long road but you are moving along it at your pace. Well done and sending you love

That sounds very positive OP, well done you. Having a newborn can be shattering no matter how rock solid your mental health, you are not alone.

The pooing after BF is normal! Mine all did it for a long time. DH used to laugh but it's a natural laxative. It's a good thing, try not to worry.

Lovely to hear your update. You are doing so well. You sound a lot clearer and calmer.

Just to echo what @RinklyRomaine said, pooing straight after, and even during feeding is totally, totally normal 🙂

Fantastic work, OP. Your boy is so lucky to have such a strong mum ❤️