Thinking of self harm

[FlipperSkipper]

Sometimes I feel that I want to hurt myself. I'd never hurt my baby (he's six weeks old) but when I've not slept and he's crying and inconsolable I want to hurt myself or just run away. If I tell my GP or HV this will they involve social services?

Please phone your midwife today for a referral to the mental health care team.

I hope you are ok.

No they won't involve social services. I was on 150mg of sertraline during and after pregnancy and I didn't have ss involvement.

Do you have a weigh clinic? Can you get there weekly? They will have a health visitor that's able to chat to you while you're there.

Thank you. My baby had a hospital appointment today and I ended up crying on the paediatrician and she referred me to the mental health nurse in a&e. He was great but I'm really upset as they'd put on the referral form that I might hurt my baby. He has to inform the local authority so I wish I had just kept my mouth shut. I'm so angry they put something on the form that was completely incorrect and untrue and I'm worried about the impact this will have.

Flipper for you.

I can understand you being angry. please try to remember that the aim is to support you and give you the help you need to be the best mother you can be.
Can you make a GP appointment or appointment with you HV in the meantime? They can help you and if you are under their care and they are aware of your feelings the LA will take this on board.

What you are feeling is so common and there is help available . please reach out and take it

Keep telling the truth. Get the help you need - take it one day/hour/minute or whatever at a time. Self harming will not help you. Do you have anyone to talk to? If not try the samaratins. It's always hard in the first few months but it will be better when he settles into a routine.

As Fanny says go to the weight clinic, hopefully you will meet some new mums and get some advice from memory they ran a sleep clinic to help with babies who do not sleep well.

I hope you are feeling better soon.

You have done the right thing. It's a positive thing that you are aware you are having some tough emotions and that you are willing to accept help. You mustn't feel threatened by any LA involvement as they are there to help you too and you may not get any SS involvement. Sharing how you feel with a professional is the best thing you could've done.
You are not alone, many many women go through some tricky times and these professionals will have successfully helped other women in your position many times before. You won't feel this way forever. Take care.

I'm under the home mental health team now. I'm glad I've got the support but I'm so upset they wrote something down that's not true. The nurse was so lovely and j feel better for talking to him. But how am I meant to trust anyone when they write lies? My thoughts of self harm are fleeting and when I have a bad day. I'd never act on them but they do scare me. I want to enjoy my son and do the best I can for him.

Hi flipper. I felt very low at times like this when my baby was this age. I found things got so much easier when she got a bit older and stopped crying so much and I generally got the hang of things better. Your ds is only 6 weeks and it is such a hard time, it's really common to be feeling really down and hopeless at times. Make sure you get the support you need and you kee talking to people. I just wanted to offer you hope that things will get easier and better.