Belated PPD?

[Hoosky]

I've been trying to assess whether my shaky emotional state has biological causes or if just changes in my daily life will do the trick. I have a 1 year old nursling and a 3 year old. I've been feeling extreme need for alone time, which seems reasonable, but it's really taking it's toll on my marriage. My libido which has always been healthy has taken a long road trip, I want to sleep alone and I've generally withdrawn from him. It's like I just don't have anymore to give once I'm through with the boys. We went through a rough spot after my first birth, from about 8 months to 1 year. This time I kept expecting it to get better, but not seeing much light. Regular exercise, a bit of me time and dates help, but are hard to schedule - especially when I don't feel real motivated. Any insights? Thanks, mommas.

[Sherricp]

You can certainly have ppd that appears later...I think it can appear any time within 3 years after the end of pregnancy (either birth or miscarriage). Some women also get it bad when weaning or during a sharp decrease in nursing. Could this be going on for you? My ppd showed itself at 6 months, though there was some milder depression sooner, and it got worse through about 13-14 months. The decreased libido tends to make me think of hormonal depression and/or a lack of good sleep.

This can also be a difficult transition time in parenting as the baby gets heavier, less portable, and more into everything yet not responsive (usually) to what you try to tell them to do (and not to do).

I'm not saying it is or isn't ppd, just that it could be. That's only of limited help, but there's a limit to what can be done over the net.

Sherri

[Jish]

Mine started around my second ds's first birthday. Unfortunately I went undiagnosed (not for my lack of trying to see what was wrong) for another year, so my diagnosis was clinical depression rather than PPD, but that's just semantics.: See a psychiatrist, I love mine and feel so much better after I see him. I'm on antidepressants because I was sooooooo bad (think -- hospitalized for six days) by the time I was diagnosed that there was no other way to get my brain chemistry back on track. I feel great now. There are also many AD's that are okay for nursing.

[beckylou]

My ppd showed up pretty early and I was treated with antidepressants, too.

A friend from my bf support group took part in a depression study when her dd was nearly two and she was pg with her second. The psyc doc in the study treated her for ppd.

It can show up out of nowhere and so often goes untreated. I agree with Beth. If you think you're feeling too blue, it might be a good idea to talk to a psychatrist. An objective opinion/ear can help you decide what to do next.

Also, I had multiple issues while nursing, due to low estrogen, that included non-existant labido and mood swings. This doesn't make it any easier to deal with ppd. . .

Hang in there. I hope your feeling better soon.