Comments on: Seven months pregnant: the black dog

By: ella

ella — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 18:09:32 +0000

Thanks, I am doing much better these days.

I do have similar concerns if I were to have another baby though and I’m not sure what I would do. It’s interesting to hear how others have dealt with a similar situation.

By: Deer Baby

Deer Baby — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 13:31:30 +0000

So so tough. You’re right about the damned if you don’t, damned if you do attitude. I came off anti-depressants because I was scared they would harm the baby even though they said they were safe. It’s hard to know what to do.

I’m hoping that you’re feeling better since you wrote this post.

By: Pixy

Pixy — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 12:15:04 +0000

Pregnancy can be beautiful and hard experience at the same time. The depression, weariness and dark thoughts are very common conditions during this time. But when the little one shows up and you hold him, it all fades away!:)

By: angela marie

angela marie — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 21:42:48 +0000

Gosh it’s tough, isn’t it? My four range in age from 13 to (almost) 5 and I feel like I am just becoming myself again. It is hard to constantly give so much of yourself away every day — yes, worth it, blah, blah — but difficult nonetheless.

Here’s to hoping those blues go away and you see the sunshine.

By: Kristen

Kristen — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 15:27:21 +0000

I don’t know if many women make it through the babyhood of their children without some form of depression…I just don’t think we get the help we need and a lot of it comes down to that. I pray this is a better week for you. I would come babysit if I could!! And I would bring you plenty of chocolate. I know it always makes me feel better…

By: geepeemum

geepeemum — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 18:11:55 +0000

Poor you, I hope the lightbox starts kicking in soon… I know you know this already but the evidence from a very large body of women taking SSRI’s thoughout pregnancy has not been shown to have many detrimental effects in pregnancy. I was on a course recently where we heard from a gynaeologist from a large teaching hospital with quite a lot of experience. He didn’t recommend paroxetine as there is some evidence of problems in early pregnancy and he said that 30% of babies of mothers on fluoextine and paroxeting tend to be jittery in the first couple of days and it is thought they might be withdrawing… So they recommended citalopram or sertraline generally. There is a small risk of one more serious complication that he recommended discussing with a knowledgable practitioner (ie him I guess)… but oiverall he was definitely more pro than anti. Where necessary obviously.
But it’s easy for other people to suggest things and hard when you have to be the one to make the decision. I know that. i don’t mean to sound like I’m saying “do this or do that”. And I think that your fears sound like symptoms rather than causes.. But I do wish you could find a wonderful au pair to come and make life easier for the first few months after this one’s born…
Thinking of you.

By: Annmarie

Annmarie — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 11:21:47 +0000

Have you thought of trying natural therapies?

Especially if you are overtired your emotional balance is going to be right out. I have had accupuncture through two of my pregnancies, relating to hayfever for the first one and just to boost my system for the second. My accupuncturist could tell my blood was weak (or something like that) from reading my pulse and I suggested it was because I’d had a miscarriage in 2006 and she gave me herbs to take to help. She suggested that it’s common to end up with PND when you don’t have enough blood for yourself, according to chinese medicine.

I’ve probably explained that all very poorly compared to a chinese medicine practitioner, as I don’t remember all her terms, but I figure if your not happy with the obvious solution, which in your case is medication, find something you can be happy with.

That’s how I ended up having accupuncture when I was pregnant with our second child and I was spending every day sneezing, and crying from extreme hayfever.

By: Violet

Violet — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 02:35:59 +0000

I guess I am not having more kids (have just the one) for this very reason. I didn’t suffer from depression, but was apparently very hard to live with, during my daughter’s first years. So much so, that my partner is actively opposed to us having a second child. I can’t really blame him, because I know that I’ve forgotten much of that year.

But if the medication helps, then why not take it?

By: Frally

Frally — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 20:47:19 +0000

What she said and what she said. Hang in there, and remember these difficult years are over before you know it. And keep writing, it will help get some of it out of your system.

By: Madeleine

Madeleine — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 15:48:06 +0000

Ella, I’m so sorry to hear the depression has snuck in again. Please get treatment if you need it, and remember that a big group of us out here are thinking good thoughts for you. For what it’s worth (very little, given I only know you from here) I think the worries about how you will cope are a symptom more than a cause of the depression. You have coped with a lot; you will continue to cope, as long as you are healthy.