Seeking Mom's with Knowledge About PostPartum

I recommend getting the book Post Partum for Dummies. It is an excellent book and I think will be very helpful to you. Let me know what you think. D.

I have a 2 1/2 year old and a 9 month old. I started struggling with it when my first born was about 4 months old. I got help (I have always chosen therapy as I have always been afraid of medication) and then became pregnant with my 9 month old. After lengthy discussions with my therapist and trying to talk my way through it I finally yesterday had to call my OB and make an appointment to be seen. I am struggling with my body trying to figure out that it's FINALLY not pregnant anymore and I truly believe that is contributing to my ability to bounce back. My cycle is all over the road, I'm waking up with horrible night sweats and my mood is completely inconsistent, but I feel overwhelmed a lot of the time. I believe I will probably be put on some type of medication, but I am hoping for only a very short time, until my body figures out what's what, and I can get to the same place in my head.
So to answer your question, yes, I do believe there are a lot of factors that can contribute to it at a later time. If you even suspect it, get help. Call your doctor and let them guide you through it. I called my doctor's office yesterday and they were amazing. I need to be a whole person for my kids, but I understand how important it is that I make sure I am a whole person for myself first. If you don't feel whole and well, your child/children will pick up on that. Trust me, my 2 1/2 year old has been struggling right along with me.

Yes! I got depressed when my som was about 10 months old. I called my midwife and spoke with them about it. I would suggest you do the same. Take care!

Hi T., It's completely within the norm to experience postpartum up to a year after you stop breastfeeding. So, even if you didn't breastfeed 13 months is still not too long. You definately want to make sure you talk to your doctor or midwife about it & get treatment to help you. It is a treatable condition. Good luck to you & your little one.

Hi T..
That is a very good question, you've asked. From my experience and knowledge about post partum depression, it is not completely impossible to have PPD 13 months after your child is born. However, PPD is normally a short-term problem, but not if depression existed before the birth of the child. If the depression existed during the pregnancy, it is more than just a possibility that the depression will continue after the birth.
T., I thank God (everyday) for the OB/GYN I had after the birth of my daughter. I was not feeling like myself and the pregnancy really took a toll on me emotionally as well as physically. The emotional part, however, was due more to the actions of my daughter's father, and it made the pregnancy difficult (I came close to losing my daughter several times).
The OB/GYN that I was in contact w/most of the pregnancy really listened to me - something most doctors don't really do. After making an appointment w/him, I sat down w/him and told him that I hadn't been feeling like myself, that I wasn't happy anymore, that most days I don't even have the goal of getting out of the bed in the morning, the list just went on. He put me on Prozac for 3 months. When I went in to see him at the end of the 3 months, and told him that I was still in my funk, he told me that it was not Post Partum Depression - that I had been depressed during the pregnancy. He asked me if there were any things going on in my life that weren't going so well, and I told him about my daughter's father & his antics. The OB/GYN told me that I needed to seek professional counseling, that medication was not enough for me.
I finally did find counseling and it did help, but w/medication it helped me even more. As it turned out, I had been suffering from a long-term depression that was undiagnosed and undetected for more than 1/2 my life. I am still in counseling (w/a licensed psychologist) and working w/another doctor on medications.
The first place to start T., is to write down all of the symptoms you are experiencing. Then make an appointment w/your primary physician. At that appointment, hand him/her the list you compiled and tell him/her that you suspect it might be Post Partum Depression, and ask him/her what his/her thoughts are on the matter. Its always good to have a good relationship w/your doctor: after all, you're entrusting this person w/your health. Good luck, T., & please keep us up-to-date on this.

Hi T....

I'm not sure. I went to WebMD.com to see what information I could find out for you, but there isn't anything to answer your question specifically. It appears from what I read that doctors would more than likely diagnose the symptoms as depression, but then again, there are specific indicators that separate post partum depression from 'regular' depression. The link I looked at is:

http://www.webmd.com/depression/tc/Postpartum-Depression-...

The very first thing is that if you are feeling at all in the way they describe, they encourage you to seek help. I do, too. I thought sure with all the stress I was going through when I was pregnant that I was going to have post partum depression but I didn't....but I do know how badly depression...hurts, for lack of a better word.

Take care...

Yes! You may call it post partum or just plain depression but the fact is, everything catches up to you and the fact that you are aknowledging the fact is a great start. Even if this is your first or 3re baby, depression amongst mothers is very common and real. Talk to your doctor. It's actually really easy to feel better. There are a lot of antidepressants that will change your life. I got really depressed after I had my first but it wasn't until he was about 8-10 months old. I started taking medication and it was then that I realized that I hadn't been feeling myself for a while. Within a month I was different person. Seek help immediately. And remember, you should not have to feel that way. You should be able to enjoy your children and be there for them!

I was diagnosed with PPD when my oldest child was 18 months old. I had ignored all the signs and finally went to the doctor.

T.,
I am a 24 year old mother of 2 and i was diagnosed with post-pardon depression almost immediately after my youngest son was was born. My son is now 16 months old and i still suffer with post-pardon everyday. I do believe that it is possible to have post pardon long after the baby is born. You would have to talk to a doctor but i know from experiance tht it is hard. No matter what you are not alone.

If you need to talk feel free :)

Sam

Certainly. Albeit, most doctors would call it depression as it is past the six month hormonal changes. However, it is also the "peak" time after the birth of a child when everything starts to become exhaustive from overworking yourself...and it's a seasonal change so that can surely cause depression. Talk to your OB/GYN or family doc. Maybe just a starter antidepressant can help you. (As for me, I was diagnosed with severe premenstrual depression about a year after my son was born. He is 12 now and I still need to take the antidepressant and it does work very well. I tried a few times to see if I needed it...and found I still do. Thankfully, the medication replaces the chemicals that the brain is lacking to help with the depression.) Hope this helps you. Take care.

Oh gosh yes!!! But that is what these sites are for! Use them to talk to other moms who go thru the same things u do. I would still talk to your dr about it in case u need medicine. But by all means chat with other moms like us! We've all been there! :)