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I have had post partum depression, showing up about 3 days after birth. How did I get through it (my daughter is nearly 2 now)? Well, I took all the support I could find, in people helping me care for the baby. Even a night of uninterrupted sleep helps. Take things one day at a time. Get out in the sunshine and walk, even when (especially wh en) you don't feel like it. Find someone to talk to about how you are feeling.
If you feel like harming yourself or your child, seek help immediately (911 works). If the depression doesn't go away in a couple weeks or if it gets worse, talk to your doctor about it.
When I had my first, 18 yrs ago I didnt realize what I was going through. We made a major move 2 weeks after baby was born, I was 19. For several months I had the most crazy thoughts pop into my head, for example to check under the car to see if the baby was there even though he was sitting right next to me. And far worse stuff.
I am sure it was the more extreme PPD that I was experiencing but I was scared to tell hubby. I never went through that again with my other children, just the weeping about 2-3 days later when the hormones were a mess.
I really agree that getting out in the sun, vitamins (I read something about lack of niacin), sleep and eating good would help a lot. I think I was really depleted emotionally and physically when it was the worst for me.
Its so good that it talked about now so woman can realize what is happening.
As I was researching post-pardom depression for a story I am writing I came upon this post and since I was already a member of adoption.com I decieded to post something about this subject myself.
I'll start in Jan 1977; my first son was born, natural child birth with no complications before, during or after this pregnancy. Feb 1978 my second son was born same thing; no complications.
By the end of 1978 I took my sons and left California for good returning to my home city, Buffalo, NY.
Being a single parent of two very active boys plus holding down a 40 hr week job wasn't easy but I seemed to manage since I worked nights while they slept until my return.
When I found out I was pregnant again and told the father, well... anyway it was too late by the time I quit denying and made an appointment to find out for sure. He left.
I had to quit working and go on Welfare. Easter Eve, I had a fire! In August of 81 I gave birth to premature twin daughter's. One would not make it and the other came home after 9 weeks in the NICN only to return to the Hospital 11 days later. than again in Nov for another 10 days. They sent her home this time with a heart monitor, my daughter used to like to go apnic and bradicardic.
In all this mess I moved the end of Nov to be closer to a Hospital just in case. In those days Welfare checks came out twice a month not like today; anyway my second check arrived Christmas Eve. My family was one of the first famlies twenty-five years ago (Buffalo News also donated to this Fund) nominated as one of the most neediest thru the Community Center where my sons attened headstart.
Christmas Eve, in one of the worst snow falls I found myself walking two miles each way in order to pay this woman for some things she set aside for me. So my kids would at least have something under the Center's donated tree that now stood in my dining room.
Alone, no help from family or close friends; days became nights and nights became days again. One stormy night in late Jan I stared out my front picture window at another one of our famous 'lake effect' snow falls. The next day while crossing a very busy street to catch the bus that took us to the Center; I fell climbing over a snow pile left behind by the city's plows. Me on the ground holding my daughter in a plastic nip-nap and my two young sons in the street with cars zipping past them.
For days I stayed in the house and didn't really speak to anyone. There was no one to talk too. Feelings of shame, guilt, my life as a child growing up all the events that took place the last few years; I fell apart.
People back then called it the baby blues; today it's called post-pardom depression.
Feb 1982. I made a phone call to a dear friend, a woman I called, Mom; to ask several childless couples I knew from the community if they would consider adopting my daughter. One would decline the other was very happy about having a daughter of their own.
My adoption was open as I knew this couple for many years.
Twenty-five years later I still hear in my head that I did the right thing but in my heart the pain of giving up my daughter has never gone away.
Last year, at Christmas I was to finally see her again, but as some things happen this really upset her Mom and I haven't written to her or she to me in over a year now.
What started out as a one time article printed on Mother's Day, 1996 turned into an almost finished story in which I describe all these feelings.
Peggy
Post Partum Depression can arise 3-4 days after the birth of the baby. In the most severe cases( Andrea yates) it can turn in to psychosis. Most women's symtoms go away or lessen within 5-6 days. If not you need to visit with your gp or your ob/gyn to discuss medications. This is from a nursing textbook printed in January of this past year.
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Yes, printed this year BUT for me these events took place 25 years ago not recently.
Today, I fully understand what was happening to me but not at the time. At the time it felt like I was lost at sea with no help of a rescue.
I never wanted to hurt my children as in the Andrea Yates case. I wanted the best possible life for all my children.
And, yes, maybe, if I had waited a little longer before making that phone call things would have gotten better. I will always hold a special place in my heart for my daughter and pray one day we will speak face to face.
Peggy
My son just turned a year old and I am suffering from ppd. I believe that each case is so different that one person can be on medication for 1 year and another can be on for 5 years. I have been on medication for a year and would love to come off, although I am really not ready to. Be strong. And hope we are both better soon.