[bauchtanz]

I scored a 60 on the online PPD test.

I had very severe ppd after Dd was born. I seriously tried to convince my husband to let me give her up for adoption, I just didn't want to be around her, hear her, or anything. When I went back to work I thought my PPD ended, but I think it lessened because I wasn't around DD.

She is now 9 months and it appears it might be back (or never left!). My DH works the 3rd shift so I hardly see him and am alone with DD at night, which sometimes dosen't matter, but if she is up and fussy, I just can't take it. I work a very stressful job during the day. We live in a town where we know noone (There are always people who say:Just call me! but really - you know they are just being nice). I just want to drive away and not ever come back.
(I always say I am like the mom on Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood only I can't afford to drink............)

Anyway.
I started going to a counselor and she thinks I should be on some sort of meds. My DD has many many allergies (as do I) and she is concerned that taking meds while BF that it could affect DD in an adverse way. She is encouraging me to stop BF. Also - she thinks BF could be part of the problem in the sense that my DD, even at 9 months, nurses at least every 2 hours. I don't know honestly if she would take formula. She wouldn't take a bottle for months and I had to go to the daycare over lunch to feed her.

The lac consultants think I shouldn't stop BF because of all the good hormones it releases. I don't have enough of a supply to just pump, but they are worried about the clinglyness of my daughter while BF. They suggested a very low dose of zoloft and to take it so I would nurse it when it is at its 1/2 life.

I haven't spoken to my Dr about my depression since her 4 month apointment, but at the time , she discouraged meds and wanted me to see a counslor - who I am seeing now. She is a family practice Dr who also sees DD and is very much into natural birth, BF, delayed vax, low or no medication (how did I get so lucky?).

Factor in that because I have so many allergies (which I belive were due to over exposure of things as a child - I need to live in a bubble) I worry about my dd getting ANYTHING from the meds. I don't even take asprin unless I have to, drink 1 or no caffine drink all day, eat well. I feed her organic baby food and I guess if I am doing that, wouldn't all the meds kinda cancel it out? I always think - didn't they think Thalidamide was safe?!?!

I guess I struggle because - just because I don't like or love my child doesn't mean I don't feel compleled to do the best for her. Because someday I think I will love her and right now I just need to be the best mommy she can have until I can do that naturally.

:

Sorry this is so long.

Anyway.

How did, particularly Zoloft affect your DC if they still nursed alot and you were on a lower dose? The Lac consultants said they have been NO studies regarding Zoloft and BF.

 

[Irish_Blue]

I think I'd find a different counselor! I don't like how much she want's you to stop bf'ing I don't think that's going to help anything.

In studies that have been done and what I've read 50mg of zoloft or less doesn't seem to show up in the milk or in the babies blood when tested, I'm currently on 25mg. although I am also (or will be soon) of weaning off of them b/c it's not helping me, however I do know that there are some ladies here who it's helped a lot.

Since your doctor supports a more natural route to teating ppl is it possible to talk to her to see if she'll help you?

I've been reading a lot about amino acid's and how wonderful they are and how our brains, when lacking these acid's react. The two books that I'm currently reading is The Diet cure and The Mood Cure by Julia Ross, deffinatley worth a read I think.

 

[LynnS6]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bauchtanz How did, particularly Zoloft affect your DC if they still nursed alot and you were on a lower dose? The Lac consultants said they have been NO studies regarding Zoloft and BF.

: There are studies. There is a book called "Medications and Mother's Milk" that should be helpful. The studies that I've read have said that very, very little of Zoloft gets through to the baby - so little that they were not able to measure any Zoloft in the baby's blood, if I remember correctly.

Several suggestions:
1. Find a new counselor who is more open to breastfeeding. Breastfeeding generally releases hormones that help you feel BETTER. The only exception to this if you are having difficulty breastfeeding and it's causing you so much stress that it's making your symptoms worse. She sounds like a bad match for you.

2. Please consider meds. And a doctor (such as a psychiatrist) who specializes in this area. You can check Postpartum Support International (google it) and see if there is a coordinator in your area who can recommend a doctor familiar with PPD.

3. Remember when you weigh the risks to weigh the risks to you and yourr daughter of NOT treating your depression. I don't want to make things sound too gloomy, but there are known, well documented risks to a child's emotional and cognitive development if mom is untreated for depression. The good news is that you are being treated and that she has another parent there for her. But you do need to be treated.

You've given the no meds route a long time to work, and it hasn't. I know that a lot of women on this board don't like the meds. And that is their choice. But I think that simply saying "no meds, no matter what" isn't always the best for you or your baby. JMO.

 

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

If I had stopped bfing my dd with my sever ppd it would have been the end of me

I took zoloft after both mine with dd my ppd was extremly sever with ds not so much so. I think you definatly need a new counciler if she is advocating stopping bfing that strongly. The benifits to bfing far outweigh any risk of taking zoloft while bfing. Both my kids did just fine and my dd had sever eczema and allergies. But that was not affected at all by the zoloft.

If I had not bfed dd the only connection I had with her would have been gone. Since I was much like you describe not wanting to be around her except when I was nursing. Deep down I knew that I could at least give her that even if I couldnt feel as close to her as I wanted. Please dont wean your baby unless that is what you want to do.

 

[Azreial]

I had bad ppd with my dd, I'm going through it again with A&D. I took zoloft with my dd and she nursed tons and tons. I will be taking it again shortly, my appmnt isn't for a couple of days. My dd did have trouble gaining weight after I started the zoloft. I started when she was a few months old. When she was right aroun 12mths old and started mostly eating solids her weight shot right up. I bf her until she was 13mths (thats when I found out I was pg with twins). I ditto the pp's that the bf relationship helped my ppd.

 

[coloradoalice]

I was also on Zoloft (lowest dose, don't remember the dosage anymore) after my dd. It was truly a life saver. I am not one to do medication for pretty much anything, but I was willing to try it and I was amazed. I was only on it for a few months until my world rightened it's self again. I nursed dd the entire time and she has no ill effects whatsoever.

I hope that helps you a little!

 

[bauchtanz]

I went to my medical Dr. on Wed and she was very much against me taking meds. She feels that we just don't know the long term effects of such medications, and not to risk it. I had also seen on some website, and not sure which one it was, that it tends to make babies grow less (maybe they lose thier appatite?) Anyway - my DD is 14.5 pounds at 9 months!

:
So she won't prescribe it to me unless it continues and the counselor does not help.

I am still going to a counselor, who is working with me. The same one. My DD wouldn't take a bottle well, even if I did wean. She is still very clingly, nursing every hour on the hour from 5pm till 10pm each evening (sigh). I actually don't enjoy nursing much anymore - because of this. But I am one of those people, I nurse my child because I know it is the best thing for her (even if it isn't the best thing for me.). I WILL miss nursing her when I am done (someday?) but right now, I wish, she could even nurse every hour and a 1/2 or something.......I don't understand why she is like this.... it has gotten worse, almost frantic the past few months when I am in the house but not in the same room as her. Or the same part of the room. Or holding her.

The counselor has forced me to find a sitter to allow me to be free of DD once a month or so. And my husband has encoraged me to start taking riding lessons again, which I had taken for years (and owned horses at one point) so I am going to try that one night a week for an hour or so.

I am just living one day at a time. My DH understand me better now, I think, so that helps. I just wonder if this will ever end?

 

[maxmama]

That is absolutely ridiculous. Study after study has supported medication plus counseling as the most effective treatment modality for depression. Zoloft is by far the preferred SSRI in pregnant/BF women, and,as the PP have pointed out, doesn't even show up in breast milk at lower doses.

It sounds like your doc is of the CYA mindset. Find a new doc who will not make you suffer because of preconceived notions (not really supported by the data, BTW -- and most docs know diddly about meds and BF) that she has.

My thoughts are with you -- PPD is a bitch. I'm starting my Zoloft prenatally this time and have my counseling and support group sessions lined up, and frankly, my doc would have to pry the meds from my fingers before I'd give them up.