Is this depression?

[Kirstylvsya]

Currently 29 weeks with a much wanted baby girl. I am so exited to meet here and honestly think I'll feel better once she is here.

The thing is, the nausea and exhaustion was so bad from the second I found out, nausea has left but the exhaustion never has, I also have pregnancy diabeties and am on insulin I don't know if they have a part to play but I just feel so down, I want to sleep all day every day, no motivation to do anything, frequently feel like crying (mainly due to frustration that I can't/wont just do the things that need done) no patience with anyone, so angry and useless. I have bad SPD also and on one hand I feel utterly miserable but on the other I can't wait to meet baby in Feb.

Is this just hormones or depression?

It sounds like you have had a lot to deal with, with nausea, SPD and diabetes. There's a lot of pressure on women to enjoy pregnancy, but I must say I found it pretty shit.

Get some help from your GP about how you are feeling or you might be able to self refer for mental health support. Don't just wait for it to get better when the baby comes as it might not, and then you might be too busy dealing with the baby to look after yourself.

Get some help for the SPD too - the NHS tends to be a bit useless but if you can afford it get some private treatment and also look at this charity pelvic partnership.org.uk

At my last consultant appointment he told me "it will go away when baby's here" (the SPD that's all I got for that.

I guess I'm scared to mention my mood incase they hold it against me. Part of it is triggered my a MMC last pregnancy and fearing the worst this time I still get worried that I'm going to get my baby at the end of it all.

I'm not always down in the dumps but about 90%. I've another appointment on Tuesday will mention it all then.

I’ve had weeks during my pregnancy where I feel terrible but they have always lifted but having had issues with mental health problems when I was younger, I monitor myself quite closely.

Honestly if you are feeling down 90% and it has lasted more than 2 weeks it would be classified as depression. Just because it might go away when you have the baby doesn’t mean it doesn’t deserve attention now. You don’t need to spend the next potential 10+ weeks feeling bad.

every midwife appointment I have they ask me about my mood and say if I am feeling down and need any help there are services available. Prenatal depression is a thing and you don’t need to suffer silently. It doesn’t mean that you won’t be an amazing mother to your daughter but with everything you are dealing with plus the pregnancy hormones it’s understandable.

i would really urge you to speak to a medical professional that you feel comfortable with. I really do hope that things get better for you ❤️

@Puddle13 thank you, I will speak to midwives on Tuesday. It's antenatal and diabetic in 1 and they never ask or seem to have the time to be spoke to. 😫

@Puddle13 that is less than ideal. I know things like that can really vary from trust to trust. But it’s also know that gestational diabetes can increase you chance of having prenatal depression so I’m sorry that they haven’t been asking you.

Just know that you aren’t alone in this and I know some people seem to love and sail through pregnancy, I have not had that experience. I’m 27 weeks so just behind yourself and I have really struggled at times. I’ve also had some sort of discomfort, whether that been intense nausea and vomiting, round ligament pain, constant rib pain for the last 6 weeks or heartburn and acid reflux since 10 weeks pregnant. I also dealt with intense anxiety particularly in the first 15 or so weeks around fear of miscarriage and then had to be referred to fetal medicine after a kidney abnormality was found at the 20 week scan. It has been really helpful for me to read other people’s experience of not loving being pregnant. Don’t get me wrong, I am so grateful I am pregnant and am having my baby but I want to get to the having the baby bit please.

I think it probably is depression related to hormone and the SPD. SPD can be so painful and being in pain all the time can get you down. I would talk to your GP or midwife and see what support they can offer for your mood. If you leave it it could get worse especially once baby arrives and sleep deprivation is added to the mix.

I used a support strap for SPD that went under my bump, it actually helped so much - deffo recommend trying one.

I'm so sorry you feel rubbish. I felt very much as you describe. Try to give yourself some grace. It's absolutely exhausting growing a baby.

I really believe some bodies / minds don't handle the hormonal changes as well as others.

You love your baby and all will be fine one day.