Pre-natal depression - anyone experienced it?

[AnnieBeeBee]

I am starting to realise that I might be suffering from pre-natal depression. I'm getting really worried it's going to turn into postnatal depression. I don't really know what to do about it.

I am only 10 weeks pregnant,but I feel so crushingly down. This pregnancy was planned, too, but I can't get myself to care about it. I can't get myself to care about anything. My life isn't bad,so I don't know why I feel like this.

Has anyone experienced it? What did you do?

It feels like there's a constant weight pressing on me. I really want to know there's something I can do about it... I am kind of embarrassed to ask the gp. I think they think I'm a hypochondriac because every time I go, I get dismissed. Maybe I'm just being paranoid!

I want to say something to my midwife when I go for my first appointment next week, but I feel a little ashamed. I should be so happy. Why aren't i?

Am I more likely to be depressed after the baby comes too?

And is my depression affecting the baby? Will the poor mite be a sad soul when he or she comes out?

Yes, this happened to me. I went to the GP about it and she referred me to a counsellor, which I have to say didn't help massively but it was good to at least have someone to talk to.

As soon as DS was born, the depression lifted - pre-natal depression doesn't always mean you'll have post-natal depression. And no, it won't be having any affect on the baby.

Do try and tell your GP or midwife, it's nothing to be ashamed of.

Yes, I suffered in silence throughout and planned to leave DD at a fire station. DD is happy as larry now and I had slight PND but nothing major. Please reach out to someone and don't suffer alone - it's incredibly common and no one will judge you

Yes. I went completely loops. It was horrid I felt really out of control. I do have a history of depression but from when I was a teenager. I suffered mild anxiety occasionally but nothing I couldn't cope with. However when I got pregnant it all came back like i had it when I was a teenager. I spoke to the mental health midwife who said that its very common for any mental illness however distant to reoccur or get worse when you are pregnant due to the hormones.
I even cut myself whilst pregnant, which again I had done when I was a teenager but not since. I was so ashamed and surprised that I did that. I constantly fantasised about killing myself and had awful mood swings that I just couldn't explain. My partner would come home and id be sobbing for hours but completely unable to explain why in words. I was so scared at the time.
I did suffer from PND as well. I cant even explain it clearly it was just as though I was a different person.
The best advice I can offer you is to listen to people when they tell you that it will not last. It really wont. One day around 4 months after the birth (I had a difficult birth and was quite injured which may have impacted on how long I was depressed for) I just suddenly felt fine again! I felt a rush of love towards my baby and just like my old self. During the pregnancy and in the first four months of my sons life I was just so worried that id never feel or act normal again despite the midwives telling me that I would. I think that my worry about that just added to my depression.
So please try and not worry that you are going to feel this way forever.... its actually very common for women to find that pregnancy and childbirth affects their mental health and the vast majority recover completely. Just keep talking honestly and openly about how you feel with your midwives and any supportive friends and family you have. Don't ever feel ashamed as its not something you can help and it happens to literally loads of women! Try and make it easier on yourself by not scaring yourself or putting pressure on yourself to feel normal. Its not you, this is not how youre always going to be from now on, its just your hormones and you just need to ride it out as best you can. Explain to those closest to you that you may act a little strange and you apologise in advance. Just be open and honest and ask for help when you need it. No one will judge you and you needn't judge yourself. Good luck with everything xxx

I have been suffering for the past 7.5 months. Baby is due in May. It was unplanned and unwanted (but clearly wanted on some level since I'm now 35 weeks) and a real adjustment. I can't even tell you how bad I've been. The past month has been better as I'm scrambling to prepare. Staying busy helps but it's hard when you feel so awful. A HUGE (cannot stress enough) thing for me was to totally cut out coffee or caffeine. It seemed to cause anxiety then the depression was worse. A huge trigger for me is going out in public, so most days I stay in. I've done all my shopping mostly online as when I try to do it in person I panic and get depressed. I have no real history of mental health although I lost my mom, dad, and only sibling within the past 2.5 years (each separately and equally traumatic). All I can say is try to get help. Support is important. Know that it will not last. Prepare and have supports in place in case you develop PPD. Try not to think of what is to come but just of today and try to not let the negative obsessive thoughts come in. I feel awful because I feel like I've wasted almost 8 months being miserable :/ One last thing, I spoke with a doctor about the effect on the baby. She said there isn't much they can tell but doesn't feel that would have much impact (she was specifically for pregnant women and ppd). medications can effect the baby, but it needs to be a cost/benefit decision you're comfortable with. I debated meds but just waited it out. I'm open to going on them afterwards. I also started acupuncture and massage (which helped a lot) and take supplements (selenium, DHAs, as well as the regular stuff). It's okay to ask for help. I hope things get better for you!

Please talk to your midwife. What you're experiencing is totally normal and there is support for you. I had pre natal depression. I had my baby a week ago and don't have the same feelings at all now, but I honestly couldn't have got this far without support. Best of luck

I have been suffering (22+5 DC2) for the last couple of months. I told the midwife I felt wrong and then when things caught up with me I told the gp who signed me off work for a month (week by week). I am goung back on a phased return from tomorrow and have an appointment with an antenatal mh team next week. I feel a lot better than I did although anxious about going back to work (the insombia does not help) even though I work part time anyway.

Your anxieties about pnd are probably part of how you feel now and don't mean you will get it. I am not a pro though. However logic states get help now and the support you need before things escalate.

As I say I feel so much better than I did and much stronger to move on and have avouded needing drugs . But it did take some effort to tell the doc I wasn't coping because I felt like a failure.

Do see the doc and tell you mw.

Speak to your mw. My doctors have been useless so far and have said that there is no reason to think that there are any mental health issues, however as soon as I told my mw she referred me straight to the specialist mw at my hospital who I am seeing next week for the first time.