Need help - Serious seasonal depression while nursing a toddler

[nicholeraine]

I get really depressed during the winter and it lasts until around late May/early June. Last year I went on Zoloft and it helped except it gave me severe insomnia. I was so exhausted I became really emotional and no relaxation techniques in the world were helping me sleep.. I could find no safe sleep aids for nursing moms.. so I stopped my meds.. Now I am back in a depressed state and I NEED to do something about it.

I considered going on Celexa but I'm afraid it would just cause insomnia as well, and then I would have no choice but to go off of it. I need help. There must be either a natural sleep aid or a natural anti-depressant that will help this situation. Does anyone have any answers for me?

BTW, my son will be two on Tuesday. I am not planning on weaning any time soon.

[Mosaic]

I think melatonin is supposed to help sleep, and I know my midwives recommended benedryl to help sleep, too. Do you think the zoloft caused the insomnia or do you think that there was an anxiety component at play as well? I've heard that there are some medications that are better for treating depression with more anxiety... I think wellbutrin (buproprion) is one, and I'm not sure about others. If you haven't already, I've heard that light therapy can be really helpful as well.

[voxana]

Sympathize with you completely since I also have some level of seasonal affective disorder and it's stronger this year with having a nursing toddler and being pregnant with my second. I've never tried to treat it myself, but my mother, who also has SAD, has benefited from St. John's Wart. I've heard you can take that during nursing, no problemo. Also, I've heard that the cause of SAD might be a Vitamin D deficiency (since we get that from the sun) and so you may find that super-high dosages of that might help you.  

[voxana]

BTW, in the studies that have been done demonstrating the effectiveness of St. John's Wart, the dosage begins at 300 mg 3x per day, for a total of 900 mgs.

[Caterina]

My DH struggles with SAD big time and although he's not nursing (!) here are a few things that really help him stave it off: exercise every day, going to bed and waking up on schedule, light therapy (we've tried a couple, but now just have 3 neodynium full spectrum bulbs in the kitchen light and he turns it all the way up to eat his breakfast every day), and he takes a herbal tincture before bed every night that is Valerian, St. John's Wort and Skullcap together.  I take just Skullcap many nights now that we're not co-sleeping (just a few drops in a small glass of water) because I find it relaxing and that I go more quickly in deeper sleep with it.  My midwife recommended it towards the end of my last pregnancy.

It would be worth seeing a naturopath or herbalist who is experienced with nursing mothers for a recommendation. We love ours!