I Need Advice on Postpartum Depression

My kids are so old that I can't remember that far back. However I do take St. Johns Wort & I love it!!! It just seems to level out the bad times.
I think it will interfer with birth control though.

You should make an appointment with your OB doctor. He or she should be able to help you.
I know it's hard, I wish you the best.

I also had severe depression after my youngest was about two months old. I thought it was hormones and it would go away. Finally when my son was four months old I went to the doctor. I was crying everyday. Something had to give. I wasn't myself. My husband and kids need me back. My doctor gave me a mild anti deprssive and it worked great. I had no side effects and I was only on it for about three and a half months. Hang in there it will get better and if not I would see your doctor. Please know that your not alone.

LIke everyone else, I recommend the first thing you do is to go see your doctor. Call today. You don't have to keep feeling this way! Other than that, try to get some excercise, get in the sunshine, do things that make you laugh-if you have to, plaster a fake smile on your face and make yourself laugh, even if you don't feel like it. All these things will increase your seratonin levels which is what medication will do. These aren't substitutes for anti-depressants though.

Things will get better. Good for you for reaching out. That is by far the hardest part! Good luck and congrats on the newest member of your family!

Get your thyroid tested!!!! I had ppd too and found out after a loooong ordeal that it was depression caused by post pardom hypothyroidosis. Please talk to your ob and have them check your levels. Especially if it lasts a while.

I highly suggest you call your ob. I went through post partum after my second child was born. It is nothing to mess around with. I am currently taking what I refer to as my happy pills. I felt so much better after talking to my doctor and beginning a course of treatment. Good luck. I will be praying for you. If you have any specific questions, feel free to contact me.

K., I had severe PPD with all 3 of my children. The first month was pure hell. I not only had PPD but I had anxiety as well and I was not able to sleep at all. I would lay down and try to sleep and my mind would just race and race. Zoloft was a God send to me for PPD. I stayed on it a year PPD with my last two children and it really pulled me out of a black hole. It does take a few weeks to kick in. I think I finally felt myself about 2-3 months post- partum. This is a horrible thing that some of us women go through and you are NOT alone! PM me if you need any advice or support. I have been were you have 3 times!

I too suffered greatly from PPD, after both my children. I did not recognize what it was with the first, just thought I wasn't "cut" out for motherhood.... even though it's what I dreamed of all my life! Then looking back I realized it was PPD. So, with my second I went in with my eyes open and seeked out help from my OB. He immediately validated my PPD and put me on Zoloft. It made ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD! My family (closest to me) said I was my old self again (yea!). I was on it for 2 years and went off with out any problems (always go off with your doctors assistance - you can't cut these meds cold turkey). Whatever you take... stick with it, Zoloft made me extremely tired for about a week and then it was great. You have a lot of wonderful advice/responses and I commend you for recognizing that something is "off" and seeking help! Best wishes and enjoy motherhood!!!

I just read your "So what happened" response, and I want to assure you you're not a bad person. The number of women that go through PPD is extemely high, and it is nothing to be ashamed of. I went through it when my daughter was born. When she was around 6 weeks old, I started having crazy thoughts, quit eating, didn't want to get out of the house, and resented my husband and other family members who I thought had the freedom to do what they wanted. I felt "stuck". I didn't know why I could feel that way when I was blessed with such a precious angel (she really was)? I confided in a friend who in turn urged me to call my OB. I felt embarrassed. Then I picked up my little girl and saw her beautiful face and thought to myself, "I have to get help for her." BEST THING I EVER DID!!! I saw my doctor, she gave me some medicine, and she hugged me and said you're not alone-she'd even been through it with her son. Don't be embarrassed or ashamed! You'll see such a difference in yourself, and you'll be so proud that you did it. Best of luck to you and getting through this. If you need to talk, email me and I'll give you my number. The first step is realizing somethings wrong-and you've done that. Take the next step!

I had pp dep too. My midwife put me on the generic prozac (on the $4 list). I was ashamed and embarrased at first but 1 1/2 yr later I still take it. I also suffered from mild ocd and anxiety and the medicine has helped SO SO much. Good luck..."better to get help now... before you put the baby in the fridge" quoting my midwife :)

I agree with Erin. Call and talk to your OB doctor. I experienced it mildly (baby blues) with child #3 and PPD with child #4.

I had PPD after my second baby and I waited until my 6 week follow up before I said anything to my doctor. In hindsight I should've taken the advice of my husband and friends and scheduled an appointment much sooner. Nonetheless, she was extremely understanding and wrote me a prescription for an anti-depressant. It helped tremendously!! I know I couldn't have pulled myself out of the depression. Swallow your pride and ask for help. I learned it's much more common than I ever thought and there is relief from the black hole you feel you're in. Best of luck to you!!!

Hi K.,

I am sorry you are going through that! I had a bit after my pregnancy and it was not a good feeling! I used nutritional supplementation to regain my balance. I am a chiropractor and I do a lot of work with nutrition. After pregnancy your hormones can get way out of balance. By getting on the right nutritional supplementation and/or hormone replacement it helps tremendously. If however, it is severe and you are having thoughts of hurting yourself or the baby you need to go to a hospital immediately or consult a psychiatrist that specializes in postpartum depression. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call me at ###-###-#### or visit my website at sullivanchiropractic.com. Thanks! Dr. Sandra S.

I had it bad with my first too, but didn't really realize that's what it was until he was 6 months, when it FINALLY got better on its own. I would definitly go to your ob/midwife asap and tell them. I'm not sure what your situation is like either but with my first I knew NO other moms and felt VERY isolated. Even though your baby's only 10 weeks if this is the case PLEASE think about joining a playgroup just to meet other moms. That way you will have other moms close to your area to talk to and make friends with. If I would have done this sooner, I know mine would have been better. I found my playgroup at meetup.com. I hope you can recover quickly from this, it's sooooo hard to deal with that and a new baby. Email me if you need someone to talk to!

Hi K. -

I'm so glad that you are reaching out for help. I was too embarrassed to tell anyone when I was going through PPD. It was so scary! Especially when I knew that all the thoughts I was having were irrational, but I couldn't do anything about it.

Please go straight to your OB and ask for help. Don't hint around. Come right out and tell them that you need an Rx for an anti-depressant. You would not BELIEVE how many women experience this! I am involved with several different mom's groups and I know hundreds of mothers. Literally 80% to 90% of the women I have talked to had some form of PPD. Some felt that having a baby was the biggest mistake they ever made. Some wanted to give the baby up for adoption (and one even made an appointment to give her baby up). Many felt that they were the worst parent in the world and thought that they were not fit to take care of their baby. Often, if a baby has any problems (mine has food allergies and eczema) the mother feels like it was because of something she did/didn't do while she was pregnant.

PPD is the "dirty little secret" of motherhood. No one wants to admit that they feel anything but the happy, loving feelings that you see on TV and have heard about all your life. You know how they say that you are going to fall instantly in love with your baby the minute you lay eyes on them. It is so important for women to talk about it and get it out in the open that our hormones can do crazy things after we've had a baby! (Go Brooke Sheilds!)

Anyway, always remember that your PPD will pass and you will love your little baby just like you've always dreamed you would. You just need a little help (like 80% to 90% of other mothers should get!)

Also, find a Mom's group to support you. Look on Meetup.com or Yahoo Groups or find a MOPS group at a nearby church. Or start your own! (Post here on MamaSource for Moms in your neighborhood and you will be shocked at the response you will get!) Motherhood can be very draining and very isolating. I started a Moms group in my neighborhood by joining a DFW-wide Moms group on Yahoo Groups and then posting inviting Moms in my neighborhood to meet for coffee. That was my lifeline during the worst of my depression.

And, talk about it to other Moms. Don't be embarassed! That's how I began to realize just how many other Moms go through PPD. 8 or 9 out of 10 people I've talked to said that they went through it too!

If you ever need support, feel free to email me or call me. Drop me a private note and I'll send you my personal info, if you like.

Good luck and congratulations on your new little one! And, remember! Things WILL get better! PROMISE!

K.

Dr.Chalmers in Frisco can help you with natural supplements for your depression. He is a chiropractor who specializes in holistic medicine.###-###-####

Call your doctor! With both of my babies, it didn't really get bad until around 10 weeks. I did Zoloft with my 1st baby and tried it again after sinking into depression with the 2nd. It seemed to work for a little while, but then I switched to Cymbalta. Don't suffer, get some help.

It's great that you realize what is going on. I can't help you with how to recover but I just wanted to let you know about my case. I didn't really know that I had pp depression...I thought I was just stressed with our business, having a baby, 2 and 4 yr old, and my husband was driving me mad! I thought I should be handling things better and really began resenting my husband and pushing him away. My husband didn't even realize that it was pp dep. and I didn't either. We had lots of trouble with our relationship but after 3 yrs we worked through it. The other day I was watching a tv show and the lady had pp dep. It has been 5 yrs ago and our 4th baby later and I just realized what I had gone through with our 3rd baby. I wished I would have thought that I was capable of having depression and that I actually had it when me and my husband were going through so much for the last 3yrs. It really explains a bunch of my feelings that I had at the time. I just wanted to share my story to let you know that you need to face it and work through it because denial is the worst way...it took a lot of hardship for my husband and i to get through it and it also took way too long but i am grateful that we did get through it.

Hi K.,
Wow - we are almost the same - I have a 6 year old and a now three month old, and I have experienced a whirlwind of emotions myself! It certainly is normal to go through this but we never like to admit that the postpartum period is so hard, stressful, isolating, and yes, sometimes depression sets in as a result of all of the above (not to mention the hormones!!) Also I found that we are still adjusting to this major shift from one to two after so many years - I think it's been just as hard on me as it is on our daughter to find the right "balance" of attention - and to remember all that stuff you forgot about babies! I think talking about it is the best thing - with this online community, with your significant other/family, and if it warrants it, with your doctor to get the support you need. While things have improved for me now, I can't say I'm totally there yet myself but feel like I can "see the light at the end of the tunnel" as my newborn's sleep improves and we all adjust a little more everyday. If you need a crisis line/"warm line" for postpartum concerns, please respond and I can send that you too as the hospital gave some hotlines like this before discharge.

Anyway, I hope you get that you are NOT alone in your emotions and feelings - consider this an "atta girl" and hang in there/let us know if you would like those additional referrals I mentioned. Take care, E.

Hi K.! I also had depression after I had my 2nd baby! It was a nightmare! i really felt like I was going crazy! I talked to my doctor and she prescribed me Lexapro. I have noticed a huge difference, so you might think about getting on an antidepressant if you are not already. Seeking advice is a great move! It is so important to take time for you! Whatever you have to do, take some "me time" and go for a walk (I know it sucks but excersise is so good for depression), or take a hot bath, or just go for a drive. Whatever it is, take a break! also, make sure you eat foods that are good for your body. I personally had a hard time with this one!! I love the fatty greasy foods but they actually make you feel worse. If you ever have thoughts of hurting yourself or your baby, make sure you talk to someone. i actually did have these sorts of thoughts... I never came close to hurting myself or my baby but these thoughts did cross my mind and this is when i realized I needed to seek help! I wish you the best and I want you to know that you are not alone in feeling these feelings... I have been there and so have many other moms! It will be okay!!

I too suffered with depression, I was prescribed Paxil and it worked wonders. I went off of it about a year ago and was fine until I got pregnant again. I am now 28 weeks pregnant and was just prescribed Zoloft. I am feeling less anxious but so sick from the nausea...and when you have 3 year old running around that is not good! I would suggest speaking with your OB and doing what is best for you...You have to take care of yourself in order to take care of your family.

I know I'm late in responding to this, but am just getting caught up on e-mails. My advice to you is to get help and get help soon. Do not wait... I waited and waited and almost too late and it was just awful. It's a terrible feeling and one that I never ever want to have again. I got help (referral) for a psychiatrist. I called late on a Friday night and she went into her office on Saturday to see me. If you need her name/number, please e-mail me and I'll be glad to give that info to you. It doesn't make you a bad person or a bad mother to admit that you need some help. It happens a lot and its okay. There is help out there, you just need to ask for it.
I hope you're feeling better soon. And I will keep you in my prayers, K..
~B.

I waited a year before I got help. By then I was avoiding driving over bridges because I was afraid of falling off them, making elaborate escape plans for different situations & peeing on towels at night because I was too scared to leave my room & walk across the hall to the bathroom. Sad.

Your doctor will help you. Your OB or your general practitioner. I took in a list of everything I was feeling/experiencing so that he'd know the extent of what was going on & I wouldn;t leave anything out in embarrasment.

I've gone on to have three more babies & experienced mild baby blues with two, but never full fledged PPD. Getting out in the sunshine every day helped, as did having something to look forward to & do. And time.

I wish you the best. You're definitely not alone in this.

Hello!
Wow. I only wish I had been on mamasource when I went thru it myself. You've gotten great advice. Hope your getting help. Please dont stop asking for it. If you have family and friends that can and want to help, LET them. Ask them, look for it. I stay at home too. YOUR THE SUPER-MOM! Two babies. Congrats. I didnt ask for help but my sister stayed with me for the first 2 months. I love her all the more. It may take some time, but you WILL overcome. God gave us the ability to have babies. We can make it thru anything. Hope you all the best!

K.,

I have had this with both my girls and my last baby I was doing GREAT until about 4 months after the baby was born and then it hit me like a brick. Get some help. Talk to you dr and get on some medicine. You don't have to stay on it very long and you will feel so much better! It is better for you and for your kids when you feel better. And yes, it is safe if you are breastfeeding...I have with both mine. Let me know if you have any questions.

You are not alone. It is such a tough time with the changing life and changing hormones. I had post partum with all of my children. I take zoloft afterwards and it has been an amazing help! I am so glad you are asking for help. Call your Ob. They may be able to prescribe something without having to go in.

I don't have personal experience with this, but I just wanted to commend you on speaking out about the way you are feeling. I know that it's very common; much more common than one would think. One of my friends did go thru this with her first and was put on Lexapro for it which worked for her. With her second, they already had a Lexapro prescription on hand for when her son was born. Again, that helped her. Just hang in there, talk to your doctor, husband, mother, friends, or other moms on here to get your emotions out and for support. You're not alone and you're a great mother for speaking out about it. :)