Depression before, and during pregnancy

[mommy2be2011]

I've been dealing with my depression since I was 11 years old and I'm 18 now. I haven't been treated for it because of my young age, and my mother didn't want me to have to depend on pills. Anyways for those of you that have been depressed while pregnant, does it affect the baby afterwords? I know after the baby is born and you are depressed it affects the child but I'm wondering if it's somewhat the same way? Any pointers to try and get out of the dump other then pills, because i'm trying my hardest to not take any pills at all. I have fibromyaglia as well, so I haven't been on my meds since I found out I'm pregnant.

[les_oiseau]

I entered pregnancy with a high level of anxiety and depression. The only thing I can say really helped me was to identify and avoid the things that triggered panic attacks. I also made a determined decision to say "no" to many things, many thoughts patterns. It's hard to describe because it's so intangible. Basically just when I realized something was causing me sadness or anxiety I would say "no" to it, deny the feelings and think about my baby and how I wanted them to be healthy and well.

I don't know if this is applicable to your situation, and know very little about fibromailgia.

I wish you all the very best momma. Hope you have a healthy and happy pregnancy.

[WhiteHorse]

Hi, I posted a similar post a few weeks ago. I am 40 now, pregnant, and dealing with depression STILL -  it really is something I have dealt with my whole life, but at times I have felt "better". Breastfeeding was one time I felt almost no depression symptoms. If I were you, I would try to breastfeed, and keep working on it if you have problems so it can be something to enjoy for many months.

When I was pregnant at 18, I was expecting twins. I did not feel depressed during the pregnancy, nor did I have post partum depression right after. However, I was still dealing with the low grade depression and this for me caused some tense moments because I was young, alone, and learning to raise babies. Triggers for me are non-stop baby screaming, and later on, the rambunctious behavior that toddlers have every day (loud and sometimes violent play!) It is incredibly difficult to manage your own reactions when you are alone with little kids so having a support person around is very important. Not to say these will be issues for you, but raising a baby is 24/7 and you can get worn out fast. Get a sitter if you feel overwhelmed, those breaks are life-savers.

When my twins were around the age of 10-11, in middle school, dealing with their own pre-puberty stuff, domestic life for us was very hard. They had no dad and discipline was extremely difficult - they fought constantly and it drove me nearly over the edge! As a last resort, I ended up taking Zoloft, because I was at a breaking point with my own emotions and having that really helped me have a clearer head and more patience. If I would have known about the drug before then, I would probably have taken it. During that time is when I discovered that my depression was a part of me and not a passing "mood" or something I had to just heal myself.

So, as far as how depression will affect the baby, it will depend on many factors, but to make things easier for you, having the right support people around you, loving you, understanding you and helping you raise the baby are what will make the difference. Take care!

[judthryn]

hi momtobe2011,
depression before pregnancy and that too postpartum depression adds more trouble, so take some measures to overcome depression,
Sleep. Heed the old saying, "Sleep when your baby sleeps." Let the answering machine pick up the phone and have your husband return calls.

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