Hi everyone! I’m hoping to get a bit of help and support. We have a dd who is now 8 weeks old. She’s an ok baby as far as it goes - she sleeps a bit and now we’re bottle feeding so we can share the load a bit. I went back to work after 2 weeks but am wfh a fair amount (2-3 days a week), so am pitching in as much as is physically possible around the flat. I try and do all the chores, take the baby out to give her time to rest, etc etc.
The issue is that my partner is so, so angry and upset at me a lot of the time. She is obsessed with the fact I text my friends (not a lot or anything, just checking in) and gets really moody if she finds out I have been. Her mood can turn on a dime for pretty much no reason, and when it does she becomes really cold - sometimes to the point where she becomes quite mean, saying horrible stuff to rile me up. I try not to bite because I don’t think she’s herself, but it’s becoming hard to know what to do. I try my best to be a good partner and parent, I tell her all the time how well she’s doing and how proud of her I am, I organise help from our parents and friends…but it doesn’t seem to help. It is starting to upset me now and I’m worried about seeing her in the morning. I never know which version of her is going to be there and I’m on eggshells all the time because I only seem to manage to piss her off.
It seems to be sort of connected to her hormones/periods, but not always, and I’m worried she has ppd. she’s going to talk to the health visitor when they come around in a couple of weeks but I suppose I am looking for reassurance that this won’t last forever. Being a punching bag is playing havoc with my own mental health, and I’m starting to become really stressed and anxious about being around her. Did this happen with anyone else? What can I do to help?