Is this ppd?

[delicious]

i just gave birth to my second child about 5 weeks ago. after my first i had severe ppd, but didn't really recognize it until 8 months later, when i started getting help. i've always had a tendency towards depression, and the last week or so i've started to feel really really down. and the times i'm not really down, i have a lot of anger. this is not who i want to be, not the kind of mom i want to be-i feel like going out of the house would be too hard and i'm really not motivated to do much at all. i really don't like myself right now..

is it possible for ppd to happen this soon after birth? is there anything I can do to stop it early? tia for any insight/advice.

[myjo]

Just posted a bunch of links on the thread above if you want to check them out.

It does sound like depression to me, and there's no reason why you couldn't be depressed this early. It's certainly not normal to feel that way.

One of the other moms posted some suggestions from Susan Weed's book in the same thread above. I also have that book, and she recommends for mild depression lemon balm leaf tea. And for more severe depression you can try Blessed thistle leaves. They're very bitter, so the tincture would be best. And briefly, the links I posted recommended taking fish oil, vitamin B12, and exercise. It's also important to find out if there's any underlying digestive issues which are causing the depression (the gut and mind are very intimately linked).

And of course, it's really important to do some emotional work too. Journaling, talking to a counselor, and meditation can be helpful. And if you can find a good homeopath, you might find that the remedies do wonders to turn you emotions around.

[delicious]

thanks, i will go read that thread! guess i should have looked around more first. ftr, i am still taking my rainbow light prenatals, flax oil, dha, etc-i had planned on making sure to take care of myself postpartum to try and prevent ppd, yk?

anyways, i will keep reading-thanks for the suggestions, i will look them up and possibly pick up some of the lemon balm leaf tea tonight.

thanks for the response

[gilnikche]

Yes; it can definitely start that soon. I completely fell apart two weeks after the birth of my second child. I should have gone in to see a doctor the week before.

You can do a search of this forum (see upper right) for my past posts. I warn you that I have put up some lengthy posts!