Postpartum Depression

Hello- I have posted on this message board ~4 years ago when my daughter was born and went through post partum depression.  I ended up taking medication for it and it made the first few months of motherhood not as good as it could have been!  Now I am really nervous about having PPD after my next child will be born, in december.  I know it is not automatic, you don't automatically get it each time. I also know that I have a lot better ways to deal with things now than I did then.  But I am still nervous and scared that I will have to go through that again and that it will make me enjoy the time so much less.  Has anyone had multiple children on this board?  Did you have PPD with each or only with one? Does anyone have any tips to be proactive about fighting it or preventing it from occuring?  I'm hoping that by facing the fear and the reality of the possibility that it will actually help me avoid it.  I also feel like I have more support around me this time than I did last time.  Any thoughts that you would like to share would be helpful!  BTW, I have been having a very emotionally rollercoaster of a pregnancy.

Sincerely,

Rosalie

Hi Rosalie!

Congrats on your pregnancy! I have a December baby too! It made for a really easy adjustment with the other kids b/c he was born 7 days before christmas so by the time I was home alone with all the kids, they had brand new toys to play with and didn't care at all about me having to focus so much on the new baby!

It's good that you're being pro-active already. i would encourage you to get a copy of "What Am I Thinking: Having a Baby after Postpartum Depression" by Karen Kleiman. It helped me immensely the third time around. I have had two episodes of postpartum depression but sidestepped it the third time (when, according to statistics I should have gotten it) through being pro-active, getting social support set up BEFORE I gave birth, and being aware of the signs and symptoms of postpartum depression. Make sure your caregiver knows about your history with PPD. You may also want to start stocking up on gift cards for local restaurants/fast food places so you (or hubby) can go pick up meals when things get hectic. you can also cook and freeze meals ahead of time or even just buy a lot of frozen meals at the store. i would also get plastic utensils, cups, paper plates, bowls, etc, so dishes are not getting backed up either.

Have a couple of designated people outside your immediate family call you to check in on you at least once a week. And you can also set up your phone voicemail to give updates about baby so you can focus on bonding instead of talking to folks.

But above all, make sure you are aware of the symptoms which led you to PPD last time so you can catch them early and seek help early.

((hugs))

Please keep us updated!

Warmest,
Lauren