Prenatal depression?

[BeyOnceBeyTwice]

Hi,
Has anyone had experience of this? What were the symptoms for you?
Am feeling very low and worried this is what's happening.
I have a long history of depression/ptsd and anxiety but haven't experienced symptoms of any until now.

Hey I'm 7 weeks and I'm feeling more anxious than usual and run down, I've previously had depression so I know the signs and I think it's important to talk about it. It's brave to post about it so well done for taking that step. It's also hard in the current Coronavirus climate so be kind to yourself. Have you spoken to your Dr? Xx

Thank you @AliSxo and congratulations on your pregnancy 😌
Im 38 weeks, am under a perinatal mental health team but very reluctant to ask them for help because I don't want scary intervention when baby is born.
Have you spoken with your GP?

@BeyOnceBeyTwice
I had undiagnosed PND after my first and it feared its very ugly ugly head when I was four months pregnant with my second and continued to be a long and hard road of recovery for another year and three months. I survived that recovery road because of my perinatal team!

Trust me when I state this, the main aim of perinatal teams is to keep mummies and babies together safely and “safe” is paramount. Safe particularly focuses on keeping mummy & baby in any environment where they can bond, rest and ensure safe interactions. I had my lead psychotherapist coming for sessions at my house on occasion after my second child was born. I had terrible days where I could barely function to do the most basic of things. My perinatal team worked super hard to ensure our safety and future success as a mummy & baby unit of love.

They do not want to ever take baby away and I fact I don’t think they ever do. The most extreme scenario is placing mummy & baby in a controlled unit (Mummy-Baby Unit) where they stay for however number of days or weeks necessary to ensure the two achieve a safe balance between them. It’s not brutal. It’s nurturing and protective ... but it’s not one’s home. These are in extreme cases where Mummy or baby are in danger.

Please speak honestly with your psychotherapist. I am in London and I am under the red “Poppy” team at Chelsea Westminster again for the second time with my third child. I can not recommend them enough for the continued support I get.

That’s what they’re there for. Trust them! Use them! Talk to someone ... have a good freaking cry and talk it out! You’ll feel so much better for it if you allow the system to work. I promise.
💐💐💐💐

@MrsAmelia thank you, it's really helpful to hear your experience and I'm really glad it's been positive for you. I think I have lots of stuff in my head from past experiences and I'm just so scared to admit that I actually don't feel ok at the moment, especially when some of my feelings revolve around not feeling like I want the baby because I am so scared of what's to come and not being good enough. I don't feel I could say that and get away with it. I'm also in London

@BeyOnceBeyTwice
Trust me - I totally get it, but believe me - you need to talk about it. I was under Dr Danny O’Shea (psychotherapist & heads up Perinatal Team for Wandsworth Trust) for 1.5 years (pregnancy and after birth) and it made all the difference. Work on building a rapport with the team now before baby arrives ... keep them informed during your sessions of how you’re honestly feeling because they’ll help you work through it all in baby steps. They’ll also monitor your rapport with baby and help you with emotions and thoughts (dark and light ones). Their only goal is Mummy’s mental health and Baby’s safety and bond with mummy - I promise!!

Give yourself time as well to see how your instincts kick in once baby is born. You may get a very unexpected positive surge of protectiveness for baby which you aren’t/weren’t expecting.

Work with your team and build a good rapport of openness with your therapist of therapy and work well. And, make sure you FORCE weekly sessions! There will be days when you just don’t want to get out of the house - they can come to you!! Or now with Covid-19 they can arrange telo—appointments.

Sending you the biggest warm hugs and seriously post me a message here if you need any comforting words. I’ve just restarted my therapy sessions in preparation for issues I may have later ... it’s such a good feeling having a perinatal psychotherapist specialist who has your back! Trust them ... they’re there for you and baby’s best interest (& that’s to keep you safe & together) ❤️❤️

@BeyOnceBeyTwice don't be afraid to talk to the team you have around you, they'll have heard what you're going to tell them before and they'll be equipped to help you, post on here and keep us updated xx

Hey just wanted to say that you’re not alone at all.

I am nearly 15 weeks and have suffered throughout my pregnancy already. The first few weeks were definitely the worst, I didn’t want to leave my bed, child to even talk to my partner about being pregnant - I just wanted to avoid the subject all together.

It actually got a little better around week 10 and has been ok for the last few weeks, I’ve dipped back into feeling down and depressed again but I think that being on lockdown has not helped me :(

I’m trying to get some help from the Peri-natal team but they are in high demand in my area and so I’ve had to really fight for some support and it won’t be high intensity support so I’ve come up with some coping strategies for myself - they may be useful to you so I’ll list them :) :-

I too am worried and regretting my decisions to get pregnant, I keep thinking I’m not sure I want to be a mum (peri-natal team told me this is completely normal and not to feel bad about this) so I have started watching ‘life and birth’ on BBC 1 just to give me an idea of what to expect - it’s been helpful.

I’ve also found some podcasts/Facebook groups and some ask the midwife sessions at my local hospital to familiarise myself with the processes etc.

I’ve tried going for walks/excercise whenever possible - although admittedly most days I don’t have the energy - but if you can get out it definitely helps.

I really hope that this is of some help to you but most of all know that you’re not alone in feeling the way you do x

Thank you all you've all been so lovely and I think it's so kind how open you have been.
I've found it really helpful. If I can pluck up the courage I'll give them a call today. I know that what you're all saying just makes sense and logically I know they won't take my baby but I am struggling to believe they'll think I am capable of doing a good job when they know how I'm thinking and feeling.

I'm in a similar position, I'm bipolar and my mood has been on the low side for most of my pregnancy. I'm under the perinatal mh team but they aren't getting fully involved until 32 weeks unless I get it touch sooner to say I need support earlier. It is so hard to know when to make that call for extra help!

They arranged for me to get some cbt which I started a few weeks ago but last week we decided it wasn't going to help me, I'm now waiting to see if I qualify for counselling instead.

Its better to get some support in place before the little one arrives, it will be easier when you aren't also sleep deprived and with another human taking your time and resources. Good luck with the phone call!

I feel the same, have been sick and also had a miscarriage last year. I can't stop thinking something will go wrong and I see everything as a potential threat. It's brought me down so much. I don't like the perinatal team and can't take medication. I have found a therapist and think she will at least help my anxiety.