Urgent Antenatal psychiatric assessment

[Feelingcrazy123]

ive been referred to the antenatal mental health team for a psychiatrist to assess me.

im 25 weeks pregnant with baby number 2. Our little boy is 3 and comes with the average challenges of a 3 year old - pushing boundaries not listening etc. he’s also started hitting, biting and kicking me and his dad. He also climbs on me and tries to stand on my tummy which he knows he’s not allowed to do. I’ve spoken with my mam about all this and I know I need to change the way I parent sometimes - nothing bad but give less options etc.

I have intrusive thoughts and visions of him getting very hurt and I’m terrified. It’s everything he does. I see bad things happen to him so that why I’ve been referred to the psych team.

i work in neuropsychiatric hospital and it’s very challenging, overwhelming at times and stressful. I hate my job role. They are aware of what’s going on. I took 2 days off last week due to my mental health. I’m all over the place. I’m so down and sad and emotional - I know hormones won’t be helping this but I know it’s not just hormones.

I just want to run away and hide. I want to cry all the time. I’m sad. I feel alone even though I’ve got so much support.

ive started CBT 2 weeks ago and that’s opened up a lot of crap for me - I know it needs to but it’s so hard. In my last pregnancy my brother died in a very traumatic tragic way and then 8 weeks later my nanna died suddenly too. I’m just expecting death. There’s a huge big grey cloud over me that I can’t movex

I have no experience in this specific area but did have perinatal depression in my first pregnancy. All I can offer is a handhold- you've done the right thing by seeking help and you must do what you need to in terms of work to look after yourself, your child and baby. Can you get signed off by your GP so you don't have that stress on top of everything else? You're through the qualifying period of where maternity pay is worked out so could you be signed off for the remainder? You can only be forced to start maternity leave at 36 weeks if off, and given your line of work, you may wish to do that anyway.

I hope you have a supportive partner to help you in all of this. You had a lot of trauma and this pregnancy has possibly brought back those feelings from your bereavements when you were pregnant with your first child.

Hoping you can get your assessment soon and they come up with a plan. If you ever need someone to talk to, feel free to PM me on here x