Should I Seek Help?

I haven't experienced this myself where it relates to major life changes. But I know how it feels to just feel more emotional or overwhelmed with life in general. You sound like a woman that is just trying to deal with a lot of changes. So just guessing, I think you should seek help if you are fed up with feeling this way or if you have ever had a negative thought about your baby.

The first 4 months of having a baby should be heaven when you and your baby are together. It's one thing to be frustrated with all the changes, getting the house clean, shopping and a whole host of things that you need to learn to do with baby around. But when you sit down with your child the rest of the world should melt away. If you find yourself feeling angry with the baby or like anything bad you are feeling is the babies fault, then yeah, you should seek help.

Suzi

i'd talk to your doctor. i did not suffer from the baby blues with my last 2 babies, but in the last few years i have been diagnosed with depression. i felt off...i guess is the best way to describe it. i slept long periods of time, no motivation to get up and go, felt no enjoyment with my work, always felt stress, i was plain rotten to my family. i spoke to my doctor about how bad i felt. she asked if i wanted to feel better (bless her heart).

she put me on prozac....i can't sing enough praises for that drug! my hubby noticed the difference immediately.

unfortunately i am pregnant and i have to cope w/o the drug (bad for the baby) so to keep myself perked up...i talk to the baby constantly and try to have happy thoughts....but boy my hubby can't wait for me to get back on my happy pills!

Even you even question calling the doctor then you should. It is always better to do so. There have been times I have put off going to the doctor and he has been upset with me for waiting so long because the solution was easy and I felt better pretty quickly. Please just go, if he/she is a good doctor then they won't begrudge you for scheduling a visit even if it turns out to be nothing.

S., you need to call your doctor today and let them know what is going on! it's important and they can help. Don't put it off, call them now.

YES!! you need to talk to the doctor. it sounds like postpartum. I had both and if I hadn't not I would had another one. Hang in there it WILL get better! make sure you take time for you. you are not a bad mom if you do. some peoples bodies are different and need extra rest.

A.

Absolutely call your doctor! It sounds like what you are experiencing is more than just stress and a readjustment of hormones. You say you are feeling "down" and are struggling with your sleep and appetite. You need to take care of yourself. Remember...if this is affecting your life this much, it is also affecting those around you. I hope your husband is supportive and is helping you out in every way he can.
I did not suffer from post-partum depression, but I empathize with you and hope you get some help from your doctor. Congratulations on the newest member of your family and best of luck!

S., It certainly wouldn't hurt to talk with your doctor. He/She might tell you to give it time, but you never know. I'm one for nipping things in the bud before they get out of control!

You mentioned child care issues, I do child care in my home. I live in NorthWest Olathe, if you are needing care and are in my area, contact me.

Good Luck, M.

What you are feeling isn't normal but can anyone really describe Normal?Anyhow the most important thing is are you able to care for your children during these episodes.I have depression and struggled with postpartum depression for a long time after my daughter and refused to be on medication and coped through it it is an awful lonely journey to go down.I would call your DR and see when you can get in maybe you need to start BC earlier than expected and get talk therapy you can do this with being on medication and ask for help from others don't be ashamed to I was and now pregnant with my 3rd baby i'm having their dad do more cooking and watching after the kiddos a little bit helps.Good Luck and look on the bright side you have your baby it isn't easy but you can get through it.

I think 4 your health and the boys who need nothin else but a great mommy in their life right now I would def. Go see your dr. As for the child care issues I do have some openings in my home daycare. I'm open m-f 7am-530pm. I do take infants. Hope this helps out some.
A.
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I would say yes go to the doctor. I experienced PPD after my 3rd and didn't even realize it. If I were you I would go especially since the holiday's are coming up and we all know that can be a stressful time.

It's not going to hurt anything just to get yourself checked out, better safe than sorry. Take care of yourself so you can take care of your family.

What type of child care issues are you having. I am a child care provider maybe I can give you some advice or answer some questions.

God bless you! i understand. you are already doing the right thing by asking for support here. the mamas are great, huh? i think you should call your drs office, they can help quickly and easily. when i went through similar stuff they started me on an anti depressant. i think i took it for about 2 mo. and was fine.just needed a "stepping stone" to get over the hump. i'll be praying for ya...M

S.,
I teach OB nursing and just taught a lecture yesterday on PPD. You have many symptoms of PPD, yes call your doctor and get the help you need and deserve. Best wishes to you.

Please don't listen to the response right below this one! Quitting your job will not neccessarily lessen your stress, and adding more guilt to you at this time certainly doesn't help. I do think you should talk to your doc about depression--chemical and hormonal changes after childbirth are very real and fixable. Good luck, sweetie--you have a lot of sisters rooting for you!

I had the exact same problems after my second child. It hit me hard when she was about 3-4 months old. I found out that there are the baby blues that you get right after birth and postpartum is what happens 3-4 months after birth. I never knew there was a difference. I also was confused because I never had that with my first child. I talked to my dr. and she gave me a mild ant-depressent. I didn't have to take it for long. It sure helped. You sometimes need just that little push to get you out of the whole it feels like you're in. I hope you get to feeling better soon. I know how hard it is to not have control over your emotions. Good Luck!

Postpartum depression can not be diagnosed by someone other than a professional. To come here and ask others, who are not qualified in this dept., for help on helping to determine if you are having symptoms, could be very dangerous for you. Postpartum depression is a very serious and sometimes dangerous problem. Women have killed their newborns due to postpartum depression. Women have committed suicide from postpartum depression. Please if you feel there is a problem, which there sounds like there is, then don't hesitate. Speak to a professional now!

P.S. I'm a nurse with mostly psychiatric experience.

S.,
If you feel you're struggling, most definitely GET HELP! Talk to your doc. if you are feeling overwhelmed, then its time to call in the cavalry! There is no shame in it, and even if the doc says you're doing ok, at least you know. But docs can't treat what they don't know about so be completely and totally honest when you go in.
blessings,
deb

definitely call your doctor!!! your health is incredibly important and it sounds like you are in a funk right now. your doctor may be able to perscribe some anti-anxiety medications or some anti-depressants. if you have insurance, your provider may cover some appointments with a therapist/licensed social worker that can help you talk out some of your stressors (like work and child care).

no one will take care of you like you can. put yourself first and get yourself checked out...just in case. you will be a better mom and wife because of it. life is too short to be teary-eyed every day. you are worth the investment.

if you do end up on medications, make sure to ask your doctor about any side-effects they may cause or concerns you should be watching for. i have been on anti-depressants for five yeras now. the first medication they put me on was in a family of drugs that impacted certain brian chemicals. it made me manic--super hyper, eyes darting all around and unable to sleep. i called the doctor and asked if that was normal, they said no. they put me on another family of antidepressant and i have had great results. it takes the edge off my anxiety. i can sleep better at night. and i have more energy to face the day and not get discouraged. i wish i would have started on them in college--my life would have been so much easier!

S.,
Good for you for asking for help! You are right, you should call your Dr. He/she will help you formulate a plan to get you through this. The longer you wait for help the longer it will be before you feel like normal again. I suffer from depression and PPD after my 2nd. It does make things more overwhelming. I once waited too long to get help and it was a horrible experience. I couldn't work and it took me months to get close to normal. Don't wait until you feel worse, you deserve it! I promise you it WILL get better w/treatment.
J.

I would definitely seek help if you AT ALL feel like you need it. I was weepy and stressed the whole time I was breastfeeding, but since I never felt an urge to hurt myself or my child, I didn't do anything about it. I also didn't breastfeed that long. Looking back, I probably should have at least mentioned it to my doctor. Good luck, and I hope everything is better for you in the future. Enjoy that gorgeous baby.

Yes! Yes! yes! I had PPD after the birth of my first child and did not seek help even though I felt really "off." I never hurt the baby, but I did some self destructive things to myself and made life hard for my husband. I sought medical advice when my son was two for something else when the doctor suggested I might have depression. He prescribed meds and life has been much better since. My doctor has always made certaingthat when I was pregnant, I took very safe anti-depressants and he always monitored me post-partum. I have changed medications over the years, but I feel like a much better mom. I am happier, healthier, and enjoy my life; there is no shame in getting help or taking meds. In fact, you would be surprised to find how common it is to know other moms with PPD or depression. Good luck and I wish you the very best. K.

Yes! Call Your Doctor! Believe me, you shouldn't go through the first moments with your new baby getting upset over the slightest thing or crying because God has blessed you more than you deserve, or because your husband is getting more sleep than you did (that one was mine). Please call your doctor, let him/her decided if you need anything. If you need it, it will be Life-Changing! Believe me! God Bless and good luck!
Congratulations Too!
C. R.

S....Go. To. The. Doctor. I wish I had. I didn't know what was wrong except that everything was wrong! I fought with my husband, I actually separated from him for the first few months of our daughter's life. I still didn't recognize it as anything other than the little things we always fought about...times 100! It was a miserable time. I didn't have any of the bonding issues or anything like that I was just wholly upset and didn't know why.

I would say for sure see the doctor!

Been there done that, yes get help. I think the mere fact that you are writing us tells us that you know something is not right and you already suspect you should seek help. I suffered from depression through BOTH my pregnancies and it is NOT fun. I was not prepared for the news of my 2nd childs arrival nor was I looking forward to going through the whole process again. After she was born, I could hardly stand to be around her...DEFINITELY, get some talk therapy and get on some anti-depressants ASAP... THEY WILL help!

I would not count on the birth control to help the situation, it is a drug for an entirely different reason...and depending on which one you are on, may not even affect your hormone levels. I would also recommend that your Doctor do a full blood workup on you to see that your thyroid is functioning correctly, sometimes that will upset the applecart and cause more depression as well. Anytime you want to chat, feel free to drop me a line.

BTW-you didn't mention if you had told hubby that this was going on...if you haven't, you should. He needs to know that you are having problems with this so he can help pick up and help in areas when it is too overwhelming for you.

It is hard to ask for help when you are not sure what is going on. Kudos to you for that! Call the Postpartum Resource Center of Kansas. Her is a link to their website with all the info you need www.kansasppd.org. They were very helpful to me.

Definately talk to your Dr.!! I had post-partum depression with my 3rd baby, and tried to "tough it out." It didn't work. I finally got on some meds 6 months after his birth, and felt so much better! It was hard to admit, but if I had to do it again, I would go to my Dr. much sooner.

YES! Even if its just to talk and get support from your Doctor...you may be amazed at how much better it can make you feel. There's no need to go through it alone...do it for your family and for yourself!! Best of luck!

Dear S.,

My suggestion is to try Valerian Root, capsules can be found at the Walmart Pharmacy area, where vitamins are. The herb does a lot of different things that are good, but one of them is to relieve stress and emotional ups and downs.

God Bless

Jan in Salem MO

I think because you are aware that something might be off is a good sign that it is hormaonal and not the dangerous ppd. but still is worth getting a medical advice on. Most of us when we are depressed are so far that we are not aware thta we may have a problem. but the web is a great place for better info here is a mini def and symptoms form the mayo website. good luck and relax these are the best years of your lofe.Postpartum depression
Postpartum depression may appear to be the baby blues at first — but the signs and symptoms are more intense and longer lasting, eventually interfering with your ability to care for your baby and handle other daily tasks. Signs and symptoms of postpartum depression may include:

Loss of appetite
Insomnia
Intense irritability and anger
Overwhelming fatigue
Loss of interest in sex
Lack of joy in life
Feelings of shame, guilt or inadequacy
Severe mood swings
Difficulty bonding with the baby
Withdrawal from family and friends
Thoughts of harming yourself or the baby

Good Morning S., Yes my dear call your Dr. and don't let them rush in and out. Make them listen to you and pour it all out. Get Hubby involved as much as he can be.
You both have a full plate it sounds like, you need some extra hands and attention also.

Like one Mama posted I would be pleased to help with child care also but we live in Ks your in Mo. :( Would give our 2 gr son's play mates for sure..lol

But don't wait Sweetie call your OB and get some TLC. It's not a sin to ask for help or be on medication for a little while to help with the stress, emotions, and plain ole everyday stuff. With things happening around us now in this time, its amazing more people aren't just stressed to the hilt.

Take a Deep Breath, Smile and call. You can do it and with Strength from above, walk through it with a glad heart and happy family.

God Bless you S., we are here when you need us.
K. Nana of 5

S. O,
Go see you doctor! You need to ease your mind if nothing else. Good luck!!!