First baby? Second or more? - Postnatal Depression

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Postnatal Depression

Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: Have A Baby?
Forum Name: First baby? Second or more?
Forum Description: Want help? Need support? Want tips? Men and women share advice and tips in this supportive community
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5879
Printed Date: 03 October 2025 at 8:33pm
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Topic: Postnatal Depression

Posted By: lou
Subject: Postnatal Depression
Date Posted: 25 February 2007 at 10:25pm

We had topic on this a while ago, but I felt like starting it again. I had really really bad PND with Ephraim. I'm doing ok now but still have a lot of issues to work through.

Everyone gets the baby blues, but for some of us it can be much much worse and there are things that other people can not understand unless they have been through it too.

I guess I just want to offer my support to anyone else who is struggling. The more we talk about PND the easier it will become for those going through it.

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Mother to two beautiful children - Sophie age 6 and Ephraim age 4

Replies:

Posted By: kezplanet
Date Posted: 26 February 2007 at 7:26pm

Hi Lou, I remember some of the thread when you came back on a while back. Do you know what triggered the pnd for you this time? How long did you stay at PMH for and how difficult was it with Sophie, did she have to stay with family or was she able to be with you some of the time?
I got the assesment form to fill in from PMH when I found I was preg with Anastasia, my mw suggested getting a referal incase we needed it but faced with the forms and the information I had to give just couldn't do it, I find it very hard to fill forms in, or get them filled in and can't get them posted. I know to most people this just sounds lame but it is just the way it is. I have problems calling places like IRD, phone companies etc to get things sorted, I can do it for someone else eg my mum or sister (who is bipolar) but just not for me.
I told mum yesterday I am making an appointment with my Dr next week to try and get some help as I'm sure life just isn't supose to be this hard and getting from day to day shouldn't be a struggle. I can go outside some days and wonder where all of my beautiful flowers have come from and realise that they have been out in full bloom but I just havn't been able to see them and I'm not enjoying my girls the way I should be and its not fair on them or me. I don't want to be yelling and shouting at them when they just don't deserve it, they are both really good girls and are just doing things that kids do but I just can't handle it on the bad days.
Yes there are good days but at the moment they are eaiser to count than the bad ones.
I'm sorry for the ramble but it feels just so good to get all of this out. I agree the more this is talked about the eaiser it is.

-------------
Kerryn, Mum to
Ashlyn(29/3/04), Anastasia(1/11/05) & Abigail (24/02/09)

Posted By: lou
Date Posted: 27 February 2007 at 8:17am

In total I had about 10 weeks in PMH. With sophie it was quite mild (or at least mild compared to Ephraim) - the first 6 weeks were the worst and things slowly got better after that. With Ephraim I had a bad patch early on in pregnancy, and then once he was born things went from bad to worse. There are lots of things that contributed to it. Having reflux babies who were very unsettled didn't help. I had a lot of anxiety leading up to the birth of Ephraim wondering if things were going to be as bad.

Now that I'm doing better I notice my energy levels are much better. I can get to the end of the day and feel I've achieved something. Having my kids in preschool part time has helped. The other thing that helps is having something positive to focus on and work towards.

-------------
Mother to two beautiful children - Sophie age 6 and Ephraim age 4

Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 28 February 2007 at 1:39pm

I am new to this, but couldn't resist adding my thoughts. I have an 8 month old, I had A LOT of trouble at the beginning. I got quite deep into PND not that my MW noticed (that is another story) I was accessed by my GP who then referred me to Maternal Mental Health. I was finally diagnosed with PND and given medication and advised to attend a PN group. The group was fantastic, myself and 6 other women gathered once a week to discuss ways to cope with every aspect of our lives. We were guided by 2 psychologists I was given a lot of paperwork to help out. I would be more than happy to send them via email, just send me a message, amy@rbi.co.nz I am now no longer taking my medication and I am starting to feel like my old self. Although it has taken me a long time I can now see the light at the end of the tunnel which was very dark for a long time. I have to say 1 of the best ways to cope is to talk about. Take Care and remember if we are happy and healthy so are our children.

Posted By: PandTsMummy
Date Posted: 06 March 2007 at 9:11pm

Hi there, I just put a post on another forum about talking about Post Natal depression and wanting to talk to others who have experienced it. I was diagnosed a few months ago, and think I am coming out the other side but still have quite a bit of work to do I think. It has been very hard on my 3 year old daughter who experienced most of my anger, sadness, iritability etc. I also have an 8 month old son, but my PND is actually from after I had my first baby, but was never really diagnosed and I had bad patches but seemed to come out of them and thought everything was ok, until after I had my son and my 'bad patches' got more regular and worse until I was a blubbering mess one day and collapsed in a heap on the floor wanting to drive away and leave everything behind. Anyway, I didn't plan to say all that and go on forever. Is there anyone else out there that is happy to admit these things? Even after all these months, I still don't tell many people for fear of being judged and mis-understood.

Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 06 March 2007 at 9:30pm

Mine has taken a dive lately and i have been really down in the dumps and feeling really worthless its sucks but im also putting it down to moving house aswell. SIGH!

Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 07 March 2007 at 1:07pm

It is such a hard thing to go through, especially on your own. After trying to deal with it on my own I just feel I got deeper into it. (upon reflection)
I got help from my Gp and then MMH. I was given meds which I didn't really want, but at the time it was the only thing that could help me along.
I really fear that I will have a relapse, when I cry at night because my son wont settle and we have been up for hours I wonder if I am relapsing or if this is normal mummy stuff......?

I think the best thing for me was to talk about it. I told my family (whom at the time couldn't understand) my partner of course had to put up with a lot of it! I lank in the friends dept. but have 1 close friend who just listened to me which was great.

If you just need someone to talk to, I am here. I have been through and sometimes still going through it.