Low Mood Post Partum

[flowerpots2]

I’m 5.5 months PP with DC3. Over the last week or so, I seem to be feeling ‘down’ every day, with no apparent cause. I just feel tired and Irritable - generally like I’m being a pretty crap mother. I’m quick to snap at my older DCs and even though I apologise afterwards, I can’t seem to prevent it happeneing again, which isn’t like me.

Sleep isn’t fantastic, still waking up at least once in the night with DC3.

I can’t seem to snap out of it. I feel useless and worthless and just don’t want to talk to anyone - I’d rather sit in silence than speak to my DH (who is a fantastic and very involved father) and would happily just spend the day in bed alone.

Is it just the lack of sleep catching up with me?

Are you doing anything for yourself at the moment? I found even something short on my own like a 30 min swim made a huge difference to how I felt. Could you be iron deficient or generally lacking in nutrients?

Thank you for responding - I’m not. I had started going to an exercise class a month or so ago but half term sort of disrupted that (we had 2 weeks off here) and I haven’t gone back to it. I have no motivation to do so now. I know I could go to the gym at any point (outside 9-5) and my husband would unquestionably have the kids but I have no motivation to and genuinely couldn’t think of much worse than exercise right now.

I take folic acid, vitamin c, vitamin d and iron daily and don’t have a bad diet I wouldn’t suggest (although I do probably have too much chocolate). I’m unhappy with my PP body but have no motivation to do anything about it.

I am breastfeeding and also am on desogestrel (mini pill) which I’m wondering whether that could be contributing to (/causing) the low mood. Not that I have any reason to be on contraception when I have such a low sex drive I actively avoid affection from DH.

I guess the best way to describe how I feel is that my personality is shutting down. I’m responding to things with indifference and just feel sort of ‘zoned out’, if that makes any sense?