Depression in Pregnancy??

[fairyfrog]

I have never had a good pregnancy when it comes to the mental. I get cranky, super weepy, shut myself in, and and avoid the public. My friends always say, " I didn't believe you, but you really are the crankiest preggo I have ever met." I would really like to have a "happy" pregnancy for my last pregnancy, but I REFUSE to take medication or anything that is not safe. You have to seriously prove safety to the baby, for me to even consider it. I do fine around kids. I don't know why but I just feel non-judged by them and I don't have to put up a front. If I am sad, I am sad they work around it and don't try to fix me. I also get really bad postpartum depression in which I did take Zoloft with. With my last child I did some research and said what the heck and ate my placenta....Zero postpartum depression with that one. :) So I will definitely be doing that one again. Sorry TMI
Does anyone have anything else that has worked for them? I am doing more research as I am not TTC until May/June. Things I take while pregnant to alleviate my symptoms is fish oil, B vitamins, healthy diet, exercise. Some suggested weekly therapy? Anyone had success with that? Thanks.

[spinningmadly]

My midwife suggested evening primrose oil last time for hormonal/depression. I didn't take it but have friends that take it during their cycles too to help with moods. You just have to know the right dosage... I think it's 500 mg??

[Rosie85]

How does one devour their own placenta? Did you cook it or get it put into pills? I have heard of people doing this and have been curious.

As far as depression goes I get it too but try so hard not to get in a funk as the depression can harm the baby as much as the antidepressant pill. Pregnancy is so stressful though! I try to get sun and to get out a lot to lessen the effects, hasNt been working lately as I have been cooped up day in and out with the kiddos, cranky as heck, all 3 of us that is. So I know how you feel, just wanted to sYmpathize.

[Cinss]

Rosie i came across this How to eat your placenta - BabyCenter (http://www.babycenter.com.au/l1051310/how-to-eat-your-placenta-#/0)

[Lassie1982]

St. John's wort has always worked wonders for me, but I do not know if it is safe whilst pregnant or breast feeding

[Tiggerian]

I had depression with my DS2 in the pregnancy and it was horrid, so I really feel for you. The worst thing is how people just don't take it seriously; "Oh it's just her hormones" - yeah, well as it happens my hormones make make me feel like poo, so thank you for the sympathy..!

I found the placenta thing too and I am seriously considered getting it made into capsule form. Other things I've been recommended are:
Keep up your prenatal supplements and take Iron supplements from week 10
B-vitamin complex
Evening primrose
Lavender Oil (aromatherapy, in the bath water for example)
Chamomile (in teas)
Acupunture
Omega3
Magnesium

Also got the usual ones: Exercise, plenty of rest/sleep, plenty of hydration, good diet,
I got therapy after my DS2 was born and it worked wonders. I had tried therapy before, but the chemistry with the psychologist first time around just wasn't there. So if you find yourself thinking this isn't working, try to figure out whether it's the chemistry with the therapist!

[fairyfrog]

How does one devour their own placenta? Did you cook it or get it put into pills? I have heard of people doing this and have been curious.

As far as depression goes I get it too but try so hard not to get in a funk as the depression can harm the baby as much as the antidepressant pill. Pregnancy is so stressful though! I try to get sun and to get out a lot to lessen the effects, hasNt been working lately as I have been cooped up day in and out with the kiddos, cranky as heck, all 3 of us that is. So I know how you feel, just wanted to sYmpathize.

I personally cut mine into 7 pieces and blended (vita-mix is awesome for this) it with a strawberry smoothie once a day for 7 days. No taste or after taste. It tasted like strawberry smoothie. I did this with my fifth child after having severe PPD with my other 4. I was willing to try anything! I did it and My baby and I avoided PPD and the side affects of antidepressants!

template (http://www.birthrites.org/placent.html)

Placenta Benefits.info (PBi) - Avoid the baby blues with placenta capsules. (http://placentabenefits.info/)

http://www.moondragon.org/parenting/...alrituals.html

[spinningmadly]

There's a lady in my area that does placenta encapsulation . It's not very $. That's apparently the most effective way. Maybe there's someone in your area?

[LacePrincess]

:hugs: I'm currently reslipping into my own issues. Grrrr. Depression and anxiety and OCD and panic disorder. WTF. I hate this crap.

I'll just share my own experience:

DS1 - weaned off of Paxil to get pregnant. Pregnancy was fine, no issues, started to slide in third trimester. Was very, very bad in months 8 and 9. Baby ended up being born 3 weeks early and borderline underweight at just under 6lb. Jaundiced and really tiny, :(. I'm sure my depression and anxiety in the last months contributed. I crashed SUPER HARD after birth, huge PPD, tried to nurse but it was a disaster, ended up giving up nursing at 2 months because I couldn't deal with the PPD and bleeding nips and crying baby. Horrid.


DS2 - learned from first kid, went on Zoloft prophylactically in third tri. No issues with PPD, birth, postpartum. Weaned off Zoloft after 4 months or so. Was normal! Yay!


DS3 - Some anxiety and OCD issues started to crop up in the second tri. Went on Zoloft in third tri, seemed to keep things from getting too bad. Felt GREAT after birth, so great that I dropped the Zoloft cold turkey 3 weeks after birth. Was fine and nursed DS until last month.


But.......since starting to sway in Sep have felt all my issues returning. Anxiety, OCD, and now depression. I really don't want to sound like a drag but I'm 10000% sure that the sway stuff is triggering this shit. What I have found is that the best way to combat depression/anxiety naturally is to eat well (good lean protein, good fats, complex carbs, little junk and not much simple carbs), eat regularly (crashing blood sugars exacerbate mood disorders) and exercise regularly. Unfortunately the only one of those that fit with the sway is the regular exercise part.

A lot of other stuff that helps like EPO, fish oils, B vits, all sway blue too. So it's difficult. I don't know what to tell you because I am torn between not sinking into depression hell again and trying to sway pink.

But I can tell you that taking a med when you have no other choice is much preferable to trying to white knuckle it through the pregnancy with full on depression. I've been there and I wouldn't do it again. DS1 had health issues, we worried for an entire year about him being so tiny, and I never felt as truly bonded to him as I do my other kids. I lost the first months of his life to depression and I regret that terribly.

It's ideal to avoid meds in the first tri, but if this ugly beast is showing up in the pregnancy, the benefits outweigh the risks of untreated depression in going on the med for the third tri and beyond.

[fairyfrog]

What I have found is that the best way to combat depression/anxiety naturally is to eat well (good lean protein, good fats, complex carbs, little junk and not much simple carbs), eat regularly (crashing blood sugars exacerbate mood disorders) and exercise regularly.

So true! In addition to that sleep is very important.


First off hugs. I am sorry you are going through this. This is what I am debating right now. If I go for this I am only going to do it for six weeks and be monitored by my husband. Except the weight loss. I am going to do that now, until the six week mark, but it will be in a healthy manner. If I don't succeed the first try...we have decided, to the benefit of my family, that we get what we get. This is going to be my last pregnancy so at least I know I did the best I could. All I can do after that is accept that whatever will be, will be. I hope you start feeling better soon.

[LacePrincess]

Thanks, fairy. :) Your kind words help a lot!

I'm just super frustrated and kinda pissed that this is happening around the holidays. I freaking love Christmas, dammit, and I hate that it's ruining it this year! SUCKS!

I did go back on my Zoloft a few months ago but unfortunately I think it's doing weird things this time around. Which means I'm back to having to figure out the right med. ARGH. I think I'm in a med-induced 'mixed state' right now which is new to me and really is hard. The only thing keeping me hanging on is being there for my kids. I'm thankful that I've btdt so I know this isn't ME, it's the illness. Still stinks though.

I think you're very, very wise to limit yourself to the 6 weeks. Alas, I'm more stubborn than you, lol, it's the boy mom thing and I just don't want to give up the dream! But I have relaxed a lot more on the diet and we're giving up frequency. I really hope I get the egg this month and can go back to my healthier eating ways and kick this stupid depression.

[LacePrincess]

I've started a new thread on this stuff for anyone who's interested in joining in and sharing/commiserating/looking for some company:

http://genderdreaming.com/forum/chit-chat-lounge/22914-im-crazypants.html

[fairyfrog]

Thanks, fairy. :) Your kind words help a lot!

I'm just super frustrated and kinda pissed that this is happening around the holidays. I freaking love Christmas, dammit, and I hate that it's ruining it this year! SUCKS!

I did go back on my Zoloft a few months ago but unfortunately I think it's doing weird things this time around. Which means I'm back to having to figure out the right med. ARGH. I think I'm in a med-induced 'mixed state' right now which is new to me and really is hard. The only thing keeping me hanging on is being there for my kids. I'm thankful that I've btdt so I know this isn't ME, it's the illness. Still stinks though.

I think you're very, very wise to limit yourself to the 6 weeks. Alas, I'm more stubborn than you, lol, it's the boy mom thing and I just don't want to give up the dream! But I have relaxed a lot more on the diet and we're giving up frequency. I really hope I get the egg this month and can go back to my healthier eating ways and kick this stupid depression.

It really isn't fair! I would probably be more hard core if I hadn't already had one girl. My kids are my ground. When I start getting crazy I meditate on every time they smiled or laughed. It has actually prevented me from crossing the line of no return. I will pray that you get your girl BFP this month so that you can move to a happier place.

[LacePrincess]

It really isn't fair! I would probably be more hard core if I hadn't already had one girl. My kids are my ground. When I start getting crazy I meditate on every time they smiled or laughed. It has actually prevented me from crossing the line of no return. I will pray that you get your girl BFP this month so that you can move to a happier place.

Yes! This!

Omg, thank's for posting this fairy. I honestly can't hear it enough at this point.

I'm very thankful that DS3 is still young enough to be home all day, being 'mom' and 'happy and loving' for him is the only thing that's keeping me hanging on. I hate this illness, I hate how it likes to eat your brain and how even though you KNOW better it's so difficult to see around the deception in your mind.

It's so beyond bizarre. It's like the Matrix, yk? You know it's not real, but it's damned convincing, and omg does the illness ever lie convincingly.

Ugh, I tried to type out what I'm going through right now but I don't think I'll do it here. I can't deal with judgement and this stuff being on a public forum, it sounds too nutty to someone who hasn't been in our heads. Suffice it to say that I'm grateful that the motherly instinct is stronger than the crazy. :)