homebirth/PPD/meds

[MommytoTwo]

Hi all ... I am planning a homebirth at the end of April. I had PPD after both of my previous births. The first time I didnt really understand what it was that was happening to me, and the second time I was just afraid to tell anyone who could help.
This time though I have no intention of living with it the same way and subjecting my kids to it. I want to go on medication immediately. I assume my hb mw cant prescribe something like that. Should I make an appt now to see an OB? Or can I just go to my regular doctor?

[RootSnort]

Your regular doc should be able to handle it. What did you take before?

[MommytoTwo]

I never took anything last time ... I guess I will call my regular doc and make an appt for sometime in the next month...

[ekblad9]

You may find that you don't have the PPD as severely since you are having a homebirth. My sixth baby was homebirth and I didn't have any signs of PPD. It was awesome! Unfortunately I just had my seventh baby in the hospital and am now wondering if I'm on the PPD road again. I'm thinking not, though, because I took a ton of herbs that help prevent PPD at the end of the pregnancy (was planning a homebirth but had to go to the hospital last minute).

However, DO take medication if you need to. I did it after baby five. And my family doc prescribed them for me.

Good luck!

[Red Sonja]

I agree with seeing if your regular doc will handle it. Despite having a wonderful homebirth I still ended up with PPD (3000 miles from my family, hubby deployed when DD was 5 weeks old), I saw my PCM for some medication after more natural options didn't help out.

[tanyalynn]

I think going in now to your regular doc to discuss the situation is a good idea. They may be okay with prescribing something beforehand for you to fill if you need it--or just plan to start it right away. I've always gotten antidepressants from my regular doc (but I've never had an OB, just a regular doc or a midwife). I think there may be other things (nutrition and/or supplements) that work for depression here at MDC, but (thank goodness) I haven't had to look yet.

[Snowdrift]

It can be hard to get an OB willing to talk to you if you are planning a homebirth, at least in my state. I'd go to a psychiatrist, myself, I don't think psychotropic meds should really be dispensed by GPs, but if you know what works, well, then the GP might be fine.

But, ITA that you might not have it this time around with the homebirth. I've never had a hospital birth, but I figured I was for sure gonna get bad PPD--I have terribly issues with depression. But I didn't really. I had a few weeks verging on PPD when I was moving and living mostly alone with DD during finals in an empty house (DH was at the old house, packing up and working). That was overwhelmed new mom more than PPD, I think in retrospect. Have you considered placentaphagy (eating the placenta)? It is a great PPD preventative/remedy, and if it grosses you out you can dry it and encapsulate it. Also omega-3s are good.

[rouserstrousers]

I agree that having a homebirth may help lessen your chance of getting PPD, but it's not foolproof of course.
What I did after my homebirth was get started on Prescription Natural Progesterone cream immediately post partum. My midwife prescribed it to me before I even had the baby. With my history of PPD and all, I wasn't willing to just wait and see if I was going to get it or not. The NPC really helped! My midwife said that she's had a lot of luck with just NPC alone in helping PPD sufferers. You can also adjust the amount of NPC you use to see if it helps with your symptoms. Often women with PPD need a little bit more NPC than a regular woman.

Good luck!