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Post partum depression is real and can turn dangerous for your health. If you are struggling there is not any shame in talking to your doctor and getting on medication to help. Being outside and walking and getting sunshine can do wonders but if it’s beyond that please don’t be afraid to ask for the help.
@Amanda I have a long distance friend who sometimes calls me and sits on video with me while I work through the emotions, but I can't have her put her life on pause to babysit me, you know? My partner works and that's about everyone I have. I really like my video games so I try to play when I'm feeling down, but some nights the loneliness just feels so crippling
@Alanna Roper I was on 50 mg of Zoloft and got it raised to 150 mg since giving birth I can tell that id absolutely feel worse without it so that's a positive for me. I've been trying to get people to take walks with me but absolutely nobody gives me the time of day (which is sad because I'm from a huge Italian family)
@Star I’m so sorry. If you have ear buds you can put on some music and just get some fresh air and some you time on the walk. I would totally walk with you if we were close. We could always FaceTime or video chat and walk together! I’d definitely be down.
I just wanted to say, my IUD made me go completely psychotic. I felt like I had zero control of my emotions. I knew something was wrong but I couldn’t get a hold of it. I was manic, spiraling, having panic attacks. It got super scary super fast. I ended up ripping mine out myself (that’s how psychotic it made me feel). Post partum plus the IUD may not be a good mix for you. I also agree with the others, maybe try medication and see if that helps.
@Alyson what did you use for birth control after taking the IUD Out?
@Star low dose pills. Specifically lo estrin. To be honest I should have known better from the beginning but I trusted my doctor and trusted she had my records. I never ever did good with regular birth control. Not emotionally, mentally, or physically. I kept going back and she kept saying give it time. 2 years in I had enough. Within two days of ripping that thing out I felt better. Started the pills and was back to normal.
@Alyson do you still get your period with the pills? Have they had any side effects?
@Star With the iud I also lost massive amounts of hair. It’s taken 2 years to grow it back. All my life I always had terrible periods, terrible pms, horrendous bleeding. With the lo estrin yes I still get my periods but not heavy, no pain, and no pms. Absolutely zero side effects for me from the beginning.
@Alyson I haven't lost any hair, but I've also only had it for not even two full weeks. How long did you have to wait to be intimate again after switching to the pill?
@Star ps- I also still had my period with the IUD
@Star if you start the pill the first day of your period you’re automatically covered. If you take it any other time it takes about a week. I didn’t have an issue switching because I still got my period. So when I ripped it out it was right before my period and I had pills waiting. I just want to add please do not rip it out yourself. I was not in a good place mentally and I put myself at serious risk doing that on my own.
@Alyson I'm going to call my doctor then and get switched over. I'm so tired of feeling this way
@Star it’s definitely worth talking to your doctor about. I hope you feel better soon. If you ever need to talk I’m here
Do you have someone to talk to? do you have an outside support system? I am 7 months postpartum and it comes in waves. Some days I cry a lot, some days I am really quick to be angry at everyone and everything. It has helped me a lot to have people around me to be there to listen when I’m at a point where I’m ready to talk. Outside support is crucial too! Someone who can come and take baby for a bit so you can have some time to breathe is super important! You will get through this. I promise. Taking things one day and one moment at a time is also really helpful for me. Find 1 thing that makes you happy (obviously your baby) but try to find something else, and allow yourself even just 5 mins to do that one thing. For me that’s my dog. When I’m feeling WAY overwhelmed I sit with her on the floor and just pet her. No talking. No baby. No nothing. Just me and my dog and when I’m ready to return to the chaos I do.