Baby blues & health anxiety

[coco111]

Hi,

I had a baby 10 days ago and I'm struggling. This is my 3rd baby so I should of expected this but I'm finding it really hard. My birth was quite traumatic and I spent the first four days in hospital. Since coming home I've felt quite depressed. I wake up and feel ok but by 4pm when the day starts getting dark and I know night time is coming my mood decreases drastically. I'm breastfeeding and baby is waking every single hour throughout the night at the moment. My husband is sleeping with our others kids so I feel really lonely. Also a few days ago I found a lump on my boob I've been to the doctor and she has said she is 99% sure it's a blocked milk duct but I still have it in my head it's something worse and can't stop thinking the worse. I'm already quite a anxious person when it comes to mine and the kids health but I feel like it's 100 times heightened at the moment. Has anybody got any advice? I really want to enjoy our third baby as I know it goes so fast but I just can't shift this horrible feeling.

[BurbageBrook]

OP, 10 days postpartum is prime baby blues time and mine always kicked in too about 4pm - just an absolutely crushing sense of unease and sadness. It's absolutely shit, but I bet you it will start lifting within a week from now

[BurbageBrook]

Re: the health anxiety I can get like that too. Can you talk to your GP about it again to set your mind at rest?

[TeenLifeMum]

Accept that survival mode is all you need for these first weeks - feed baby and yourself (other dc if dp/h isn’t around - pizza, ready meals, beans on toast are all totally acceptable). Try to get out the house once a day (unless tipping it down in which case stay in pjs - not every day though). Get showered and have a cry if you need to. You will enjoy your family with 3dc but those initial days are full of hormones and unknowns. You’ve just turned your world upside down so it’ll take a few weeks to reset.

[BurbageBrook]

How are you feeling today OP?

[coco111]

Thanks for checking in. I felt slightly better today. I had quite a lot to do today so I think being busy kept my mind off things. As it has started getting dark again i can feel my mood getting worse but keep telling myself this will pass x

[jefl]

I gave birth to my DS nearly 3 weeks ago now. Everyone warned me about the baby blues, but no-one warned me about the " sunset scaries ".

For the first 2 weeks I dreaded looking after him at night time as my DH had to go back to work when DS was 4 days old.

Last week feels like a world away now, and my hormones have settled so much. Hang in there xx

[flowerchild2000]

It's definitely a blocked duct. Did you get advice on how to clear it? Ask DH for help at night. Go back to the doctor if that feeling persists- baby blues lasts for a few days, past that it's PND and it's better to get help immediately because it can spiral fast. Not to be dramatic but it is serious and also if you can feel better you should and therapy or medicine can help. Did you get a chance to debrief after the birth? If not talking to someone about it is massively helpful. Traumatic birth can cause PTSD. Like PND, getting help immediately makes a big difference in the long run. I hope you feel better soon.