Got to end of preg with no hormonal probs now feeling terribly down and weepy

[anotherbitofcake]

Feeling very odd. I'm due in just over a week. I've been great all the way through. V excited. Occasionally freak outs at having a baby but not lasting long. I'm now feeling quite down and tearful. I thought I'd enjoy mat leave but I'm finding it odd not going to work. I'm feeling a bit lost and getting needy for DH to come back home. We have recently moved so in a new area which I know will make things worse. I know I need to go out and see people - which I have been doing, but I just want to hibernate and cry at the moment. I'm still actually really excited to have a baby soon but I'm worried I've already lost "me". The irony is I had a job but I was more than happy to walk away from it for a year as that's all it was to me. I'm not a high flying career woman and yet I still feel a bit unsure who I am now and what I'm supposed to do. I'm really hoping I pick up again once I have little one and I don't fall into a pit. I've not felt this low for quite a while. Did anyone else feel like this on mat leave? I imagined it would be a bed of roses.

Sorry you are feeling down. It happened to me too, even as a SAHM I still feel my identity is as a worker and I'm in the wrong place. But it took me by surprise first time round.

Are you able to walk far? I found walking and exploring the neighbourhood very relaxing - you don't have to 'see' people if you're feeling antisocial, and you can let the sunshine work its magic on your soul. It's easier after birth though as you lose the waddle.

You're probably totally exhausted from 39 weeks hard work - it's not surprising you're having a wobble. Once the baby is out your body can begin to return to normal - it's even breathing, getting rid of toxins,etc for two right now.

I don't want to scare you but don't be surprised if you get baby blues a few days after the baby is born - it's a normal thing as the pregnancy hormones clear your system. It isn't the same as diving into a pit, and it's over by a couple of weeks after birth. If that happens, remember it's only for a short time!

I think it must be normal to have a hormonal wobble before the birth - see my thread from earlier today about being convinced I'm going to die on the table during my c-section.

If you are new to your area I'd definitely recommend signing up to an NCT early days course where you can meet lots of local mums. I went to my local NCT ante-natal sessions and met some really lovely women from a real spectrum of interesting backgrounds. It totally wasn't the yummy mummy brigade that my prec

Doh! Can't type. Meant to say that NCT was lovely and not what I was expecting.

Hope you feel a bit better soon and keep talking to people about your thoughts an emotions - even if it's just coming for an emo dump on MN. Xx

Completely echo going to NCT events and meeting people - a real life line.

I'm 38 + 5 and last weekend just started crying at EVERYTHING. DD1 and DH are . My toddler kept saying mummy is so tired and sad so trying to be very upbeat when she's around and then weepy when alone. Grim hormones!!

I feel exactly the same! It's almost as if we're in limbo, as we've finished work so don't necessarily 'fit in' to an office environment/routine anymore, but equally we don't belong to the 'mummy world' yet (presuming this is your first as well?) Sorry, that's not particularly eloquent, but I don't know how else to explain it, just rest assured you're defo not alone.

I've been lucky enough to have a fantastic pregnancy, which I sometimes think makes it worse as I was working 60hr weeks at 8 months and to go from that, and from working hard to prove yourself to just finish completely and be watching daytime tv everyday feels strange and depressing. I also worry that my friends won't bother with me when I'm a mum and I'll be left feeling alone and isolated. BUT, I honestly think these fears are normal.

I read a post on MN which suggested taking prenatal vitamins because of the B6(?) - funnily my mood had dipped after I finished my last packet, so I started them up again and feel so much better (might be a placebo though?) I take Pregnacare btw.

Similar to other posters I also attended a NCT course with my husband and that helped so much - mainly because we met 5 like minded couples in the same area, who are all expecting their first babies too.

Checking MN and other pregnancy forums helps me too - makes me feel I'm not alone in feeling this way. Good luck and hope you feel better soon x

Oh, and don't worry about feeling 'needy' - my husband told me I sent him 54 texts the other day and I was horrified!! But it's just out of boredom I think - I bet we won't have time to do that once a little baby is relying on us all day. From what other mums say we won't have time to shower let alone wonder when OH is coming home. Not long to go now x

I have had this since about 28 weeks - horrifically hormonal, tearful, needy, weepy, irritable. You name it, I've had it.
My poor DH thinks I've lost my fecking mind, but is mostly managing to just hug me, and not react too much.

I think it's normal (god, I hope so!) and the needing DH part I have rationalised as being my primitive side - in the same way as high adrenaline stops labour ('must run, dinosaur coming, aargh!'), needing to feel safe and protected in order to get ready for birth ('man guard cave. Woman have baby') seems to make sense to me.

The hibernating thing is hard - I know going out cheers me up, but I am tired, waddly and rage at the world, so staying in seems to make more sense... Can you plan something vvv close to home and really fun? I went to the hairdressers at the end of our road this week, for three hours (highlights) and it was lovely - no walking, no stupid people to get in the way and annoy me, just pampering.

Good luck!

thanks everyone. think just needed a moan. I felt better fri as forced myself to get out of house and go swimming. weekends fine as dh here. worried my apathy to do anything may get worse - though hoping it is just the weirdness of going from routine, working etc etc to not having anything i have to do. I'll probably look back on this and laugh when drowning in nappies :-) good luck to you all with your little ones when they arrive x