Any Mum experience PND and anxiety with first baby?

[Thefirstime]

Did you go onto have a second child?

did you experience the same again?

really thinking about having another baby - but am put off by how much I struggled!

Yes and yes.

Yes, I did suffer this way after my first and second child. Took medication each time and sorted it out that way pretty swiftly each time. Hellish while I was waiting for the meds to kick in.

:/ thanks

Yes. 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Meds with 1st and 3rd. V bad with 3rd. Not quite as bad with 2nd. Yes, call me crazy. Obviously no more!

Yes and no.

Did not have with first, but did with second x

No, I didn't have a second. My DH had the snip about 5 months after my first and only was born because I was so ill and knew I couldn't risk going through that again.

I've never regretted my decision but I do know plenty of women from the mother and baby unit (yes, it was that bad!) who did eventually have a subsequent baby and weren't ill a second time.

If you were supported by the perinatal mental health service, you can get proactive support throughout subsequent pregnancies (or at least you can in my area).

Yes, had a second, did still have anxiety to an extent but absolutely NOWHERE near the absolute horror that was the first time. Not even close, and mostly triggered by one person.

I did with my first - awful depression and anxiety, overwhelming intrusive thoughts and catastrophising. I thought I was an awful mum and kept telling my DH that I thought I was going insane. Every aspect of parenting was super hard and I felt like DD was really difficult….. she was probably picking up on my anxiety.
I had CBT and medication.

with DS I didn’t experience any of it at all. I was really worried about it happening again but it was completely different and such a positive experience.

you're all superheroes having another after having gone through a tough time xx

I had a tough time with my first and went to see my GP when pregnant with my second with what was probably antenatal depression. A great chat with her, an agreement I would pop in and see her every two days after I had my second, identifying a post natal Pilates class I would start at 6 weeks to get me 'me time' out of the house, all of this really helped. I had no issues with my second baby - of course maybe that was always going to be the case but talking it though with my GP and knowing I would have support which I didn't with my first helped me

I developed PND with no1. My GP and I did keep eyes on me during no2, but it was entirely different. There were different circumstances: no1 was a v tricky baby (CMPA, reflux, no sleep, generally grumpy) where as no2 was textbook (by which time #1 had become a 95% delightful 2yo). Also had early months in autumn winter with no1 whilst no2 was born in early spring! I'm sure things could have been different but v relieved they weren't!

Just to add, I told a friend about this experience (after it had happened and my kids were a little older - still preschool). She'd had PND with her first so asked me to be her buddy during her second. We'd catch up twice a week for a walk/coffee on my lunch break from work. She said it really helped.