treating PPD yourself...while BFing

[Sandra Dee]

What can I do? My health insurance was discontinued, I am breastfeeding, and I have been plagued by PPD again. I feel okay, like my new-found faith is helping sometimes...but I am still so darned irritable. I really have to consciously stay on top of it, kwim?

Is there anything else I can do for self-treatment? I cannot, cannot, cannot afford to go to a doc.

Thanks

[Sandra Dee]

Thanks so much.
I'll pick up some EPO next time I'm at the HFS.

Any recommendations for calcium? I can't tolerate calcium carbonate (ie Tums, Rolaids, etc) or OsCal (both make me terribly nauseous, even when taken on a full stomach or at bedtime). I also can't drink calcium-fortified juices.

Are there any more readily digestible sources?

Thanks again! I'll definitely put some of your suggestions to good use.

[tara]

NM's suggestions sound very good! The only thing I would add is to make sure you have a lot of support. Let your friends and family know what's going on so they can be prepared to give you some help. Find a support group (in my area the organization is called Depression After Delivery, but I'm not sure if they are nation-wide. Still, there should be a PPD group you can join). Find a mama's group, too - you'll keep from getting isolated, get some support, get some structure in your days if you need it. If your faith is helping, keep it up! Maybe speaking to your pastor/minister would help if you have one. Reach out to everyone you can think of, basically.

Anybody know if St. John's Wort is safe while bf? Probably not or it would get mentioned more...

And, if you find you absolutely need medical help, see what's available in your community on a sliding scale. In my city there are a few community clinics that operate on a sliding scale, some even free if you're eligible. The meds can be expensive, but the older meds are definitely cheaper and some of them work really well.

Please stay in touch. Good luck.

[sunmountain]

I had terrible ppd with 3 out of 4 of my births. The last one seemed different, so I looked at my life, and here's what I did differently...

I was drinking A LOT more water.

I had A LOT more help with the housework. Get as much as you can, hire a girl from the neighborhood or something, but at least have someone else scrub your bathroom and wash your dishes once a week for a month or two.

I continued to take my prenatals, I like TwinLabs. The copper and iron are coated so they don't interact with the minerals.

As far as calcium goes, how about those chocolate chews? If your body is reacting so violently to this supplement, it may not need it. Although spinach and other dark greens contain calcium, too. I take it you are vegan?

I drink a cup of coffee every day. OK, sometimes it's an iced mocha It gives me a really good kick in the pants when I need to keep up with three boys while carrying little dd

And I know many are opposed to this, so don't be offended, I don't know you well enough to know if this is an option for you, but a little hit off my ganga pipe has proved to lift my spirits enough so I don't lose it on the kids and I can appreciate all the good stuff my day had to offer instead of dwelling on the icky stuff.
maybe I shouldn't have included that last comment, but I'm in a Brutally Honest Mood tonight

[Kirsten]

I had PPD after our second daughter was born. It was awful! I feel for you!! I was breastfeeding and dh wanted me to stop (he is usually very supportive) so I could get away more for breaks and he also wanted me to consider drugs that he knew I wouldn't take if BF. I couldn't stop BF as I felt it was the only positive thing I was doing for her. I didn't see anyone (I'm sure our insurance would have paid for it - I was against going on some kind of stupid principle) and didn't take any drugs. The only two things that helped me were 1) listening to music and 2) talking to a friend who had been through PPD and was better and could understand the ridiculous feelings I was having. I consider her a great mom so I felt much better to learn that she too had been through it. Reach out to people! And try to do stuff that brought you joy in the past - watch funny sitcoms or movies, take walks, bake/cook, scrapbook, go out with friends, whatever! Just acting normal helped me to start to feel normal again. Sitting home moping that I was miserable, we'd taken a perfectly good life and look what we'd done to it (by having another baby), guilt that I felt so crummy at what should be such a wonderful time all did nothing but spiral me down further. Acknowledge that you have your feelings, talk to women who have been through it, then start to do stuff to bring you back to the person you were before. You will get there!!
Kirsten

[gilnikche]

Kirsten,

Forgive my ignorance...

But what is a ganga pipe?

[Kirsten]

Hi Carla,
I believe you are confusing me with sunmountain - the poster right before me. I am the goody-two-shoes of the group but I believe she is talking about Mari Juana....
Kirsten

[sunmountain]

OK, here's something less controversial.
I recently found a book which has helped me understand depression, and I wanted to pass the title on to you. It's called "The Zen Path Through Depression". It breaks depression down into it's most basic components: fear, anger, pain, etc... and then suggests a path of enlightenment for each one. I know, sounds far-fetched, but it's the most worthwhile book I ever read on the subject, it really hit a chord as I have been dealing with depression since I was 14. I really feel that I am on a healing path with this approach, even more so than with any counceling I have received.

Hope that helps, too.

Funny story...my mom's name is Mary. She once had a spanish friend who she said it was illegal for her to walk down the street with. Yup, her name was Juanna Boy was that funny when I was eight...

[JesseMomme]

I also crawled thru PPD w/ no prof. help

but a little hit off my ganga pipe has proved to lift my spirits enough so I don't lose it on the kids and I can appreciate all the good stuff my day had to offer instead of dwelling on the icky stuff.

I second that one...
It was more of a "treat" thing, and I don't regularly keep it around, but it was good to have "something" make me laugh for a while once in a blue moon. I would never advocate use of any other type of recreational drug though -but that is a whole nother tangent!

Geesh I didn't drink much either (alcohol), I guess through my PPD haze I was aware enouph that alcoholism runs through my family like wild fire and I didn't need to wake up any of my genes any time soon, if they were indeed there.

Other than that, the only other outside remedy I took was bach's rescue remedy. when I felt I could no longer keep an anxiety attack under wraps any longer.

I spent many a nights chatting online with my best friend who had gone through PPD for a year after her second was born. Someone who had "btdt" made me feel so much less crazy for a while and kept me laughing, and listened patiently to me rant and wail about almost anything. LOL she still listens patiently to me rant and wail about anything. getting stuff off your chest, even if it is trivial and small ("I havn'et mopped my floor in a month, it looks disgusting, think Dh would ever think to do something about it?") can be a breath of fresh air.

SPeaking of fresh air. I hated going outside to get that theraputic fresh air. As if I would be exposing my pain for the whole world to see. I always though of excuses to not go (I'm tired, the kids are ready for a nap anyways, it looks like it is going to rain soon, I look awful I'll never get a shower in today, etc) BUt I would be glad when I did, even if for ten-fifteen minutes out of the whole hum-drum day. Something about fresh O2.

And, I think I would like to say to the original poster here, that breastfeeding is about the best thing you can do. I get all "
: when I hear moms say they had to quit breastfeeding in order to take depression meds and 1. that was not necessary to begin with and 2. Breastfeeding stimulates that feelgood oxytocinand prolactin. We get a boost when we breastfeed! It was the best thing I did for myself in regards to PPD.

[gilnikche]

OOPS! Sorry about that Kirsten.

[tara]

I want to second (third?) the bf recommendation. As hard as it was (I was having big time formula fantasies), I'm so glad I stuck with it. And, I did get some relief from it - bf has a way of helping you feel connected with your babe, and disconnect was a big part of my ppd. I would look at him and think, "Are you my baby? When is your real mom going to come get you so I can have my life back?" and then I would bf him and have teensy moments of, "Oh, yeah. You *are* my baby. I *am* your mom." And those teensy moments can keep you going!

[sunmountain]

I'm sticking with this thread b/c I think you all have such good advice for eachother.

I would look at him and think, "Are you my baby? When is your real mom going to come get you so I can have my life back?"

I think we all have felt this with our first ( and second, and third and fourth, in my case ). Bonding is a skill, and it does new moms a disservice to not tell them this. It takes a while to create that intense bond everyone raves about, it's not an instantaneous thing. It comes more quickly with each successive child, but we moms need to have support from the ones we love. If we had bonding issues growing up, it makes that much more difficult to create a bond ourselves.

[Sandra Dee]

ITA!

I totally agree with the breastfeeding suggestion. It was, and is, the only way I was able to form a bond with my babies. It almost forces you to have that private time together, kwim?

I soooo appreciate all of you taking the time to respond to this post! I am separating myself from a lot of people IRL, and having (new) friends like you all, who are so like-minded, helps tremendously.

I am feeling better these days, and :gasp: have joined flylady's online motivational group. It actually helps me to get off my butt and get at least one thing cleaned up a day, and forces me to get dressed.

I have found joy in iced white chocolate mochas (even though I shouldn't have them with a history of kidney stones...oh well!). And, I start college classes at the junior college on monday (a little anxious and nervous, but I think it will do me a lot of good to have something to call my own). I'll be out of the house, dressed and SHOWERED!! ROFL! four nights a week. I hope it does me, and the wee ones, a great deal of good!

Thank you all so much!

[miriam]

bf and ppd

Dear Mothering Friends:

I bf #1 and #2 and even tandem bf them. I had ppd.
I had #3 and bf him for a year and had worse ppd, so I weened him and the ppd became even worse. I felt like this: : It lasted a year more. I hardly remember his second year. I was so depressed. He is such a beautiful person. I feel so guilty about it.

I had no ppd w/ #4. I was older, got more rest, had more help and I ate chocolate!

I never lost the weight, but I was mentally better off.

[sunmountain]

miriam, what is it about that fourth child? My ppd wasn't bad at all, really textbook, like 2-3 days. And suddenly people realize you actually need HELP after the fourth one, as if you didn't need it with the other three:

And, momschooling>>>>hurray for you! I went back, just for a semester, before dd was born, and I loved it! Good luck with your classes!

[miriam]

ppd

Dearest Friends:

Regarding the help I received after the fourth child:

I myself stayed home and in bed and got lots of rest for a month after he was born. All of my children were born at home, and I guess everybody just thought that I didn't need any help.

My dh was out of work and helped me around the house. I also just stayed home and did not go back to work for six months.

We had saved and planned alot. I stayed at home and made sour dough bread every day after that first month.

No, no one came over to help me.

[sunmountain]

This is so OT, but you got more help than I did. My dh started a new job with each of the kids' births. He was no help at all. I would have given anything to have a round-the-clock caregiver. You have a great dh.
BTW, I had two at home

[miriam]

help postpartum

Dear Sunmountain:

I should have explained.

My dh quit his job two years before #4 was born. I worked until the day before #4 was born, and then went back to work at six months postpartum.

My dh went back to work parttime a year later. A year after that he was diagnosed w/ cancer. I have been working since #4 was six months old. He is now ten y-o.

My point is that even though I had many difficult personal and family problems (my dd acted out as only an adolescent could a few years later) I did not have PPD.

Thank Gd for small blessings.

My dh was working seven days a week twelve hours a day when #1. #2, and #3 were born, and I had severe PPD then, when he was not around. I guess having him close made a difference in my outlook and recovery, even though I was very busy.

[sunmountain]

Yup, I can relate.
It makes all the difference in the world when they can spend time enjoying the baby/help out.

I just read through the whole thread again, and I am so happy to see that the OP made it through those first difficult days, relatively unscathed.

Lots of love to you all.