PND: can you avoid medication?

[glowfrog]

Hi all,
I'm mum to DD1 (4) and DD2 (11.5months) and I'm starting to think I may have PND. With husband working away during the week and the usual sleep issues, I thought I was just tired but I'm just feeling so low and negative about everything at the moment - even after a few lie-ins.

But I'm not keen on medication. I'm no hippie and I'm a strong believer in medicine and science, but I know that kind of medication can be hit and miss and I'm worried about it making the depression worse, plus all the other possible side effects (I know quite a few people who've had depression). I have no one to pick up the slack while DH is away so don't want to risk it.

Anyway - is there anything I can do apart from medication? Trying to get more sleep, obviously, but anything else?

Also, am still breastfeeding.

Poor you. DH working away must be tough with such small DC. Sorry, no experience of anti-ds. I was very low and anxious after DS1. This may have been PND but equally may have been severe sleep deprivation. I'm posting to say it's worth ruling out physiological causes before going down the PND route. Thyroid conditions cause low mood and anxiety and often begin after pregnancy. Anaemia is very common post partum, especially when you breast feed for a long time and also can cause psychological symptoms. I have had both and whilst I had other physical symptoms, the low mood was the most obvious/troubling. Both times I was worried about depression. My partner also suffered from depression that turned out to be vitamin d deficiency. And around now is the absolute worst time of year for it. It may not be any of these, but maybe have a look to see if they fit enough to ask your GP about.

Sorry - I should also have mentioned that before Xmas I did go to my GP to rule out iron and bit D deficiency and thyroid problems, and everything was fine, apart from being a little low on vit D. That reminds me I need to be better at taking the supplements I bought!

I was really disappointed, I was hoping I was low on iron etc! that would have been a relatively easy quick fix...

Thank you for responding.

That's good - you've ruled some stuff out. Definitely sort some high dose vitamin d out. My DP was only just at the bottom of normal and he was miserable. The sprays are good. Ignore the RDA, it's outdated. The Vitamin D council have good impartial information. www.vitamindcouncil.org

I found counselling very helpful. But I needed to wait until the DC were older as it required time and money that I didn't have, and I appreciate it might not be an option for you either. I think there are alternatives to medication. Mental health is like physical health - you need to take care of yourself. Exercise, time to pursue something creative, time with friends, sleep, mediation/mindfulness. Trouble is, being a mum to small DC often means there's no time for any of that. Combine that with the utter relentlessness of parenthood and the existential challenges of metamorphosing from career woman/party animal/sex kitten into a mother and it's no wonder PND is so common.

You sound resourceful and I'm sure you'll find the right answer for you. Hopefully, someone with more knowledge about anti ds and their alternatives will be along shortly to offer some insight. Good luck, whatever you choose.

Yankeepoodle thanks so much for the kind words, they are very welcome. I'll get back to those supplements now!

Funnily enough, for the first time ever I have found myself longing for a poolside holiday!! Maybe my body is trying to tell me something.

Ha! I used to spend hours dreaming of hotel rooms with pristine white sheets. Floating in a warm pool sounds good too though.