An Honest Question for BEFORE Delivery

AppleMomma

This has been the worst week I've ever lived, as far as how I feel & how my body is handling things and how I'm coping (or not) with everyday life.

Did any of you notice a serious onset of dpression BEFORE you had your baby?

I didn't have PPD with DS, I had the blues in the hospital but I was fine and enjoyed being a first time mom beyond that.

Right now I'm not so happy. I'm nearing 27 weeks pregnant with baby #2, and I can barely function. I've contacted my MW about it to see what she thinks, but I don't think hormones could make things this bad.

I see no joy in anything, I feel like I'm not the best person to even care for my son right now. Even DH is concerned which is why he's asked my mom to look in on me at least every other day.

Anyways, I was just wondering if anything hit you before your baby came. I'm pretty worried that this may be deeper than baby blues.

perrinj1020

I am feeling the same way! I am just in a slump and can't seem to pull myself out of it. I was prescribed meds but I am afraid to take them because they may affect the baby or make me more sick than I have already been. Everyone says what I am feeling is normal but I don't feel normal.

Aerochyck

It's real and it's called antipartum depression.  I had PPD with my first but with my second I knew something was wrong around 5 months pregnant.  I was miserable, angry, crying constantly, etc.

I didn't know that it was possible until I mentioned it to my Dr.  They wanted to start me on medication but my DH and I decided that was not the route we wanted to go (it is a decision that everyone needs to make for themselves).  So instead I worked on my diet, exercise and getting time to myself and (barely) managed to survive until the delivery.

There is a certain point where theses feelings are not normal and you need to talk to your Dr.

AppleMomma

Aerochyck:

It's real and it's called antipartum depression.  I had PPD with my first but with my second I knew something was wrong around 5 months pregnant.  I was miserable, angry, crying constantly, etc.

I didn't know that it was possible until I mentioned it to my Dr.  They wanted to start me on medication but my DH and I decided that was not the route we wanted to go (it is a decision that everyone needs to make for themselves).  So instead I worked on my diet, exercise and getting time to myself and (barely) managed to survive until the delivery.

There is a certain point where theses feelings are not normal and you need to talk to your Dr.

I feel exactly how you sounded: angry, miserable, crying; everyday it's a battle to pull myself together. 

I'm glad to know that it may have a purpose. I meet with my MW this week to discuss it, and hopefully we can work something out. If it comes down to it, I'd like to make the same choice in not medicating myself, but changing my lifestyle.

DH has been studying for school exams, and it's been very difficult because of his crunch courses, for me to get ANY time for myself. I feel somewhat like a single parent right now. He's knows how I feel, and he's lost because it hurts him to see me feel the way I do.

Thank you for letting me know that there is a antipartum depression, I feel at least if I'm not alone I can move forward with this. 

Aerochyck

Try to see if there is someone else who you could lean on too other than just DH.  It was hard and my 2 year old learned that sometimes Mommy just cried for no reason.  DS started to come up to me in the morning, rub my back and ask me "How are you doing today?" (that's what DH always did).

The best thing about antipartum depression is that it has a definite ending.  Unfortunately, it went right into PPD again for me but some people are right back to normal after the baby is born.

Take care and keep up the good work.

 

UPTowngrl

A little background that's a lot more honest than I am with my friends IRL. Only one friend knows my true story. I'm two and a half years post op tummy tuck, breast lift after a massive weight loss. We were not ready for a non-insured pregnancy and I was between IUD's and on the pill. This baby was a total surprise and it just left me reeling and I think I was already depressed and this pregnancy just pushed me way over the edge of really being able to deal with life and all the stress of an unplanned pregnancy. I was bitchy, tired and hopeless everyday and just in a general funk for a couple years. A really intense 5 day a week exercise program is what kept my full-blown depression at bay. During the first trimester I quit going to the gym due to lack of energy and that's when the depression really set in.

 

I am so glad I went on Zoloft although I'm pregnant. My doctor will keep me on it at least til my baby is about 6 months old.

 

 

I just posted about this in another thread about Zoloft. Here's a copy/paste of what I said there:

 

I started taking it at 14 weeks pregnant. It didn't do anything to me at all. Kind of like a sugar pill effect. Nada!

 After while I just noticed I've stopped snapping at my two kids (6 and 8) and have been a ton more even keeled over the past few weeks since it's kicked in fully. For lack of better words, I've been feeling more productive, and just in general, less whacked out and bitchy.

FWIW, I take it every AM. 50 mg and it's working great after being on it for a few weeks.