PPD/PPA/PPMD check-in

[seamonster]

Since there are a number of us dealing with PPD, PPA, or PPMD, I thought a check-in might help us support each other. 

LO's age:
Diagnosis (PPD,PPA, PPMD):
How are you feeling:
Successes or good things this week:
Challenges this week:
Questions or anything else:
GTKY -- What meal do you most like going out for and why?

[seamonster]

LO's age: 10 weeks 1 day

Diagnosis (PPD,PPA, PPMD): PPA

How are you feeling: I'm less reactive to things and I am feeling better. I have 4 weeks left of maternity leave and I'm worried about going back. Worried about missing LO and not being able to pump enough milk for him

Successes or good things this week:I cried a lot less. I start my support group/group treatment this week. I hope it helps.

Challenges this week:Not responding to my electric pump doesn't help as a lot of my thoughts revolve around breastfeeding. My manual pump keeps losing it's bottle (somehow comes unscrewed) so when it fell off and I lost 4 ounces, I was not in a good space. Also we lost LO's giraffe while traveling this weekend which is the only toy he pays attention to and it was a present from my mom. I'm going to have to get my mom to send me another one as I can't get it shipped internationally from the store. I felt like a horrible mother losing his toy because we were focused on finding a restaurant that we never found while walking and we couldn't find it while retracing our steps.

DH and I start counseling today. We have to take the baby with us as we don't have a sitter and don't know how to find one. Feel weird asking a co-worker to watch him on a weekly basis. We should've been in counseling long before the baby arrived, but the baby made things come to a head.

Questions or anything else: I guess I don't know how to tell if I'm past everything or still need more help.

GTKY -- What meal do you most like going out for and why? Brunch. I like fancy breakfast foods and coffee and mimosas.

[michelle142]

LO's age: 9 weeks

Diagnosis (PPD,PPA, PPMD): PPA

How are you feeling: I'm feeling pretty good. We found the right dosage of meds for now and I feel like a real, functional person now.

Successes or good things this week: I made it through daycare pickup, making dinner, bathtime and bedtime with both kids while DH wasn't home. It was tough, but I managed to not freak out.

Challenges this week: Scheduling conflicts this week are going to make everything difficult and stressful.

Questions or anything else: What meds are you taking for PPA? And what dosage? (if you don't mind sharing)
I'm on 150mg of Zoloft (generic). I feel good on this dosage, but I feel like it's a lot?

GTKY -- What meal do you most like going out for and why?
Fish Fry! Because it's not something I can make at home.

[lotsofdotts]

seamonster, Thanks for posting this. I have been thinking about it, but I guess I am still stuck in the stigma issue and thought people might not want to share. We need to share and support each other. You rock!

LO's age: 9 weeks

Diagnosis (PPD,PPA, PPMD): PPA

How are you feeling: Depends on the day. Luckily I am still on maternity leave and can relax, but my anxiety is growing the closer I get to going back to teaching.

Successes or good things this week: I have my first appointment with the mood disorder clinic tomorrow. Apparently there are lots of mommies dealing with this, and it has taken 4 weeks to get me into see them.

Challenges this week: Today has had a lot of stresses already (finding quality day care and stupid substitute issues). I get overly worked up and then fixate on the things that are going wrong and can't shake them. My husband is trying to talk me down from the ledge through Facetime.

Questions or anything else: Is anyone trying to go a natural route to deal with this? My OB prescribed me Zoloft but I haven't taken it because I had a bad reaction last time around with it. I wanted to be with a therapist who can closely monitor it before I would consider taking it. I have tried to just meditate and go for walks when I get too worked up.

GTKY -- What meal do you most like going out for and why? Without a doubt, sushi! I could eat it everyday!

Hang in there, ladies. I am grateful that I have you all to turn to when I need to vent or a pick me up.

[missys]

LO's age: 9 weeks 5 days
Diagnosis (PPD,PPA, PPMD): PPA
How are you feeling: ok. I went back to teaching this week and am getting up at 430 am to pump, get ready, feed LO, and get to work by 7am. It's been a rush in the mornings so today I forgot to take my medicine in the morning and other mishaps during the day led me to feel very anxious and on edge.

Successes or good things this week: I don't know...I'm pretty hard on myself.

Challenges this week: Work has been a challenge and difficult to get back in the hang of things. My students will take a state test next week which will basically grade me and unfortunately they are tuning me out and already planning for summer. It doesn't help my sub was not the stellar teacher he made himself out to be.

Questions or anything else: michelle142 I'm on 50 MG a day of the generic zoloft

GTKY -- What meal do you most like going out for and why? I love appetizers! I could order just off the appetizer menu and be so happy!

[seamonster]

I'm not on any medication. It may just be that doctors in Ireland are less ready to prescribe it immediately. I'm working through mindfulness meditations with a book called Mindfulness: A practical guide to finding peace in a frantic world by Mark Williams and Danny Penman. The support group I'll be attending also does stress management and exercises for changing your thinking.