The newborn stage is rough. Do you have someone to help you? Can someone watch the baby for a little so you can nap or go get a pedicure.? You have to take care of yourself too. Running on empty is not a good thing. If you think you may be depressed you should talk to someone. Your OB should be able to guide you in the right direction. Hang in there. ((Hugs))
I have PPA/ocd and am on zoloft. I was having terrible intrusive thoughts. I slways have anxiety but was able to always manage without meds. But the physical symptoms and intrusive thoughts got so bad I wasnt sleeping hardly at all. It never hurts to talk to your ob about how you are feeling.
I was never diagnosed the first time around (because I was also too proud to admit it), but I'm pretty sure I had PPA and maybe some PPD. I was exhausted from sleep deprivation, but I was too anxious to sleep so it was like a mean cycle. I found myself getting so angry over tiny things...I'd explode on DH and lose my patience with DS. I would also panic over the smallest things and even routine decisions would give me anxiety.
If I could go back in time, I would have talked to my doctor about it because that first year was rough and I think getting some help would've made my life a lot better. I feel a lot less anxious this time around, but I told DH what to look for just in case. Thankfully my anxiety got a lot better after a few months.
You are not a bad mom and you are not failing. By realizing that things may not be right and taking the steps to fix it, you are doing the best thing you can do for your LO, which is making sure that he or she has a happy, healthy mom. GL, op.
Post by amyface813 on Jan 23, 2015 18:50:14 GMT -5
Do not wait. Go talk to someone as soon as possible. You shouldn't have to feel that way. Even if it is just "new mom stress" talking to someone will probably make you feel better. In the mean time, try to get some sort of exercise. That always helps my anxiety even if just temporarily!
Hi there. You're definitely not a terrible mama, not at all.
I am pretty open at this point in sharing that I have postpartum anxiety/ocd. I had it with my first two kids, but I was too proud to admit it and ask for help. I had terrible intrusive thoughts: I would see the water running for their baths and picture the baby drowning, so I would avoid giving them baths. I would see the stairs and picture myself falling down them holding the baby, so I would be afraid to carry the baby down stairs. I would picture us getting car accidents, so I would be afraid to drive the car. Of course, you can't stop giving baths/going down stairs/driving the car, so I just lived in misery all the time constantly trying to get myself to stop thinking about those terrible things, which of course, only made me think about them all the more (quick: do NOT think about a pink elephant. whatever you do, do NOT think about a pink elephant! you get my point).
About 6-9 months after each baby, this problem subsided and I got back to "normal", which is at baseline reasonably anxious but not to the point where it impairs my life. With this baby, the intrusive thoughts and anxiety started basically when I got pregnant. I didn't want to talk about it with my OB - mostly because she is a colleague and a friend (we are having drinks today, actually. Downsides of a small area with only one female OB - your friends see your cooter). I was embarrassed. I felt like I could will myself not to be crazy. But I couldn't. So I mentioned it. I got some zoloft, I worked with a cognitive-behavioral therapist, and I feel fine now. Like myself. am I a little anxious? sure. probably always have been, always will be. But I honest-to-god almost didn't go to a conference in orlando last october because I was worried that the plane would crash or I would catch ebola at the airport or.....whatever. nutty stuff. not rational.
It doesn't sound like your problem is my problem, but postpartum hormones are no joke! some people they make depressed. Some people they make anxious. Some people they make feel great....until they wean, and then they get depressed. and for most people, they don't really affect them all that much. but for those of us that they do, there's help. and there's no shame in getting it. if you feel like it's more than just baby blues and you don't feel like yourself, bring it up with your OB. she (or he) won't judge you and PPD/PPA are treatable. good luck.
Interesting. I have those feelings a lot. Even when not pregnant. I worry about everything. The other day my daughters night light burned out twice (different lightbulbs) in 5 minutes. I threw the night light away but then while sleeping got nervous that it could be the outlet and I pictured her room going on fire. I got up and unplugged everything. I also have those stairs and bathtub fears too. I never thought much of it. Just thought I was overly paranoid.
I also regularly have intrusive thoughts and have had sub clinical anxiety my whole life. I am also super extroverted and maternity leave means barely talking to others adults for months which takes its toll on me. With DD I didn't have PPD but I did see a counselor a few times for a tune up and I'm thinking I will again this time too.
I'm posting from the observation unit at the hospital right now (LO has RSV) and DH is out of town and DD1 is still sick (my mom has her) and I've only talked to our nurse all day and I've been crying nonstop, and everything feels horrible. I'm trying to count my blessings and am just happy that I have those nurses/my mom around because two sick babies (and I'm sick too and so is DH, ugh) is just too much.
Oy. Definitely going to call my therapist (who I've not seen since DD1) Monday; being a new mom is hard.
Post by sissynjitters on Jan 23, 2015 20:42:00 GMT -5
I had PPD/PPA after DD1 was born; for about 6 months.
This time around, I've been doing a lot better. The Dr wrote me a script for Zoloft, but I haven't felt the need to fill it yet. I did fill my script for xanax, but I've only had to use it twice since DD2 was born. I feel really good about this. It really helps me if I talk to DH about my feelings and worries. He helps me work through my concerns. My biggest issue right now is I'm on Prednisone for an allergic reaction and it's making my anxiety flare up a bit. I'm worried my PPA will surface in the next few months since we are moving and DH will be out of the country for 2 weeks each month.
I have PPA/ocd and am on zoloft. I was having terrible intrusive thoughts. I slways have anxiety but was able to always manage without meds. But the physical symptoms and intrusive thoughts got so bad I wasnt sleeping hardly at all. It never hurts to talk to your ob about how you are feeling.
My doc just rx'ed me zoloft. I have awful and extreme anxiety about going back to work. Thinking about it brings me to tears! Are you responding positively to the zoloft? My fear is I am still nursing. My doctor said I could take the zoloft (50mg) like you would xanax, as needed when anxious and that it was safer than xanax when BFing but, I am now anxious about that!
Agree with calvinfoster, from what I understand you cannot take Zoloft on an as needed basis and it work like xanax. It takes 2-4 weeks, sometimes 6, to even feel the effects.
I thought it sounded too good to be true. I just looked at the bottle and it has the instructions you all described, not what my doctor told me. I will call him Monday! I wasn't planning on starting it until end of February, silly doctor!
I had PPD with my DD1 but now I have more anxiety. I am taking Zoloft but it's yet to kick in. I started it 2 weeks ago. Things got bad tonight, as DH is leaving tomorrow and we just found out DD1 has the flu. Coincidentally someone posted a story about a 4 year old who died from the flu, and it triggered my over the top anxiety. Before I was worried that DD2 would catch it but now I am worried that something will go wrong with DD1. I am thinking about going to stay with my family but also very concerned about it spreading to my family, like my 14 month old niece who stays there during the day. Ahhh I'm a mess right now but trying to be strong. Good luck to you, talk therapy does wonders.
I started having ppd signs around week 3. While they got a lot better after finding someone to talk to and finding friends that have also been there, I feel as though I relapsed in the last few days w my mil going home and my DH returning to work tomorrow. I haven't had to worry about taking care of dd on my own yet and that has been triggering my anxiety which is hard when she picks up on it. I plan to start zoloft on monday.
Then Comes Family, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising
program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.