Hormone come-down.

[Naetha]

I've just had a great pregnancy with DD (10 weeks old now) - I loved it. Other than normal pregnancy niggles (SPD and nausea), mentally I've been the happiest I think I've ever been. I've felt well balanced, chilled out, able to cope with anything, organised, motivated and just generally a nice person to be around.

Now the pregnancy hormones are all going, and I can feel myself slipping back to my old nasty self. I'm snappy, irritable, irrational, unreasonable, forgetful, lazy, apathetic. It's horrible - like a fog descending that I just can't stop.

I've started exercising more recently which has helped a little, and I have a good diet, but nothing seems to be able to stop this advancing tide of negativity.

Anyone got any suggestions? Any supplements I can take (herbal or otherwise) that might help me out? I'm going back on the mirena coil in a couple of weeks, and that helped a little after the birth of DS when I had a similar thing happen (but much much worse), but I don't know if I can handle going back to how I used to be, now I know what it can be like when I'm happy.

Vitamin B6 and Evening Primose Oil are good for settling hormones. It's not post natal depression is it though? Might be worth a chat with your GP?

I'll try evening primrose oil for a start.

I guess it probably is PND of a type. It's good in a way, because I know it probably won't be long term (it lasted for approx a year after DS), BUT I just don't know how to handle it, and no way I can do it for a year. It was hell last time - had a severe effect on my relationship and drove me to tears several times a week. I don't know if I could do it again with a toddler to handle as well.

Will talk to my GP about it I guess.

The vitamins in pregnancy suppliments are also useful to have in the first six months after birth - especially, but not just, if you are breastfeeding. Iron (fatigue), calcium (sleeping), B vitamins (depression / energy), Omega 3 (depression), zinc (irritability).

Good that you are doing exercise, that should really help - if you can exercise outside, that is even better. My favourite form of exercise is running with Mummmy buddies - exercise and chatting at the same time!!

You could also see a homeopath who may be able to help.