baby blues??

[zenma]

i had an episode two days ago. lots of tears exacerbated by a frustrating family situation. then i got a really good night's sleep (as good as could be expected, ) and felt really good and present yesterday - more clearheaded than i have since ds was born, one week ago yesterday.

anyway... mostly i feel good, but get discouraged when we have too many bad-latch breastfeeding sessions in a row. i know after dd i never had ppd, but did have some roller coaster moments that were rough.

anyone else going through some blues?

[Peacemamalove]

to you mama...I don't have baby blues ( no baby yet still waiting) but I do suffer with severe bipolar so I know what it is like to feel down.

Do you have someone who can help you with the baby so you can get enough rest,or take a few minutes to yourself?? Remember that is important to do ...I am sure you are doing a wonderful job and remember it takes a few weeks for some baby's to get the hang of nursing.

take care ..love and light to you

[leafwood]

What you described sounds totally normal to me....normal for the hormonal post-partum period! I have been really roller-coastery this first week after birth. At times I see baby and dd and just get overwhealmed and cry. At other times, small things bring me to hysterical tears (like when dh could not find the outfit I was trying to describe but I was too tired to get my butt out of bed and look myslef). Yesterday I had a rough patch because I think I was having hormone surges and it made me feel anxious and tearful. Latching on hurt like heck. Today I have rested more and it's better. I broke down and took Motrin too. And the sleep plays such a huge role for me and I think (from last time anyway) it took me about 2 weeks to feel competent again!

Know that we're all here to support each other. I saw that Dec DDC opened a "post-partum check-in thread" that might me a good place to touch base about our experiences.

Sleep well tonight!

[zenma]

thank you for your replies, the support does help, especially the comments about latching. i get SO frustrated, as does ds. luckily, he's been relatively easy to soothe between attempts, but sometimes i have to give in and let him have a bad latch just to get him fed. (not only does it hurt physically, i feel like a failure at something that is supposed to be so natural.) he brings his hands up and tries to suck on them, and gets really upset when i try to move them. but the past two days have been a big improvement, and he's been opening his mouth wider more and more, so the pain is limited. i hope we keep going in this direction.

i have been getting support from dp and his mother, and they've helped me get in lots of naps. dd is almost four and is taking to being a big sister in a very mature way, so that has been helpful too. when she was a baby i remember having roller coaster emotions. they always seemed to balance out eventually, but it's tough when i'm right in the middle of a low point.

[leafwood]

I also have a dd who is almost 4! And our latch issues sound really similar. Ds gets his hands all in his face and I just don't have enough hands myself to support his head, my breast, and deal with running interference from his tiny fingernails! It's been helpful for me to have him suck on my finger for a minute to "refocus" and then we try again. Sometime I aslo give in and let him latch with just this tiny open mouth, like he's sucking the nipple through a straw! Ouch! I hope things continue to get better and those naps continue to be part of your rountie as well!