https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 23 Apr 2026 09:53:12 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-severe-ppappd-with-lo-1#post-2327983 Tue, 20 Oct 2015 23:21:29 +0000 LovelyPlum 2327983@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm scared of this, too. Thanks for bringing it up.</p> <p>I don't know if you listen to NPR, but On Point had a great show on PPD/PPA today. You can download the podcast, if you're interested. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-severe-ppappd-with-lo-1#post-2326607 Tue, 20 Oct 2015 03:08:32 +0000 NurseDMB 2326607@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>With my first son, I had bad PPA and OCD that became a million times worse after he was born. I had really bad anxiety duing his pregnacy, too, so I had a feeling I was going to end up with PPA. I was put on Zoloft around 6 weeks postpartum. </p> <p>Now, my second son is only 4 days old, but so far so good. I had NO anxiety while I was pregnant with him, and besides the occasional crying (mainly because I feel guilty for not being able to spend a lot of time with my first son right now), I feel fine. But because of my history, I'll definitely be more aware and mention it to the OB if I start to feel more than the typical baby blues. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-severe-ppappd-with-lo-1#post-2326583 Tue, 20 Oct 2015 00:01:05 +0000 noelani 2326583@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ra: My anxiety also hits hardest at night, and it's such a terrible spiral - the anxiety means you can't sleep, and the sleep deprivation feeds the anxiety.</p> <p>I think I experienced PPA/PPD following my late loss this year - initially I thought it was just part of the grieving process but at 3-4 months post-partum things were getting much, much worse rather than better. I had never experienced such all-consuming darkness, and it was terrifying.</p> <p>I finally reached a breaking point and got some help, my doctor prescribed anti-anxiety medication to take at bedtime and it has made a WORLD of difference. I've been able to fall asleep and I haven't had any middle-of-the-night panic attacks in over a month now. I met with my doctor today to discuss a support plan as we will be starting to TTC again in early November.</p> <p>If you're willing to take medication, it might help to do so now before you decide whether to TTC for #2? Medication might help break the anxiety/sleep deprivation/anxiety cycle, and it might make the TTC or not decision easier.</p> <p> :heart: to you, anxiety is so brutal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-severe-ppappd-with-lo-1#post-2326560 Mon, 19 Oct 2015 22:39:01 +0000 HLK208 2326560@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Oatmeal: interesting. I get very depressed and had extreme anxiety during pregnancy (for example, I couldn't drive on the interstate or I would shake and my hands and face would tingle). If there is one thing I could go back and change, it would have been taking anti-depressants during pregnancy! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-severe-ppappd-with-lo-1#post-2326489 Mon, 19 Oct 2015 21:20:22 +0000 sorrycharlie 2326489@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Was worse first pregnancy and pp. second pregnancy I was on lexapro to treat antenatal depression and anxiety and remained on it. She and I both did/are doing fantastic with me taking a low dose. ❤️ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-severe-ppappd-with-lo-1#post-2326428 Mon, 19 Oct 2015 20:16:53 +0000 Mrs. Oatmeal 2326428@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ra: so far, no. However, I didn't come off my anti-depressants between pregnancies at all , so I just stayed on them this time. The difference has been amazing. I had awful anxiety and depression DURING this pregnancy, even with the meds, so I was worried about postpartum but it has been good so far. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-severe-ppappd-with-lo-1#post-2326389 Mon, 19 Oct 2015 19:53:31 +0000 erinpye 2326389@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes. I had antenatal depression with both pregnancies due to severe illness while pregnant, and while my PPD was bad after baby 1, it was severe after baby 2. I got better about a year and a half later, with help, but still have hard moments/ days, yet nothing like it was. (My youngest is 20 months.) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-severe-ppappd-with-lo-1#post-2326359 Mon, 19 Oct 2015 19:33:31 +0000 Ra 2326359@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thank you all for chiming in! I appreciate your candidness. I hate that you all have gone through this, too. </p> <p>@Peasinapod: Don't hesitate! I want truthful responses. I'm so happy to hear she recovered. That had to be so scary!</p> <p>@Mrs. Champagne: Thank you! :heart: </p> <p>@littlejoy: Hugs! My son is 28 months and it's still pretty bad. I pretty much never sleep because my anxiety is so bad at night. Last week I slept something crazy like 17 hours in 7 days. It's awful.</p> <p>@MrsH: Hugs! :heart: </p> <p>@knittylady: I'm happy things are better now! </p> <p>@HLK208: Mine started around 6 months, too! It's been almost 2 years since then and I am still struggling. </p> <p>@rachiecakes: Same. Mine started around 6 months but I fought it for a while before I actually sought help. I didn't think it was PPA because it started so late.</p> <p>@2littlepumpkins: :heart: :heart: :heart: </p> <p>@ladybee: Oh my goodness! I will be sending lots of good thoughts your way. I'm sorry you went through that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-severe-ppappd-with-lo-1#post-2326298 Mon, 19 Oct 2015 18:44:57 +0000 ladybee 2326298@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had PPD/PPA with my first. This time it started during pregnancy and was the same feelings while pregnant. I didn't want my baby, considered suicide, wasn't eating, and couldn't stop crying. I went to the behavioral health department at my local hospital per my OB's referral. He was on look out because it was bad after LO1. I'm on Zoloft now and feeling slightly better. The doctor there said that for some women it starts earlier and earlier in the pregnancy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-severe-ppappd-with-lo-1#post-2326281 Mon, 19 Oct 2015 18:38:55 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2326281@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not sure yet. I am two weeks pp with #2. I still get a little anxious and maybe a little more emotional than my usual self but overall I do feel more calm than I did with #1 and I'm bonding much better with baby. It is part of (definitely not all of) the reason I am bottle feeding and taking turns at night with dh. Whenever I feel stressed out I just try to remember how long it took for things to feel totally natural and normal with #1 and remember that they don't stay this little for long in the grand scheme of things. So I think/hope I won't have the same experience this time but it is still too early to call it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-severe-ppappd-with-lo-1#post-2326280 Mon, 19 Oct 2015 18:38:17 +0000 rachiecakes 2326280@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Peasinapod: one of my closet friends had the same experience :heart: she now works for postpartum progress as an advocate </p> <p>@Ra: my PPA was late onset or at least late for me to realize what was going on, still dealing with it too :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-severe-ppappd-with-lo-1#post-2326253 Mon, 19 Oct 2015 18:26:16 +0000 HLK208 2326253@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had it with my first but not with my second. I had more of the "baby blues" where I would cry for a few minutes a day but overall I was normal and happy after having my second. But after having my first, I went through a dark, dark 4-5 months. It didn't start right away after having him but around 6 months pp. I went to therapy until about 14 months pp.</p> <p>I had it again with my third baby. Not as intense, definitely more anxiety than depression but it was still hard and I couldn't pick myself back up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-severe-ppappd-with-lo-1#post-2326247 Mon, 19 Oct 2015 18:23:43 +0000 knittylady 2326247@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>:heart: </p> <p>I had a really hard time after LO1 was born and then had a surprise pregnancy 6 months pp. I was not out of the depression from the first one so I cried and cried. Honestly, I didn't feel better or normal until I had LO2. I don't know if I was better prepared for it, or what. I look back on the first year of my oldests life and just remember so much pain and anxiety. Sometimes I think having the two boys (15 months apart at that) forced me to let things go in a way that I couldn't with just one. I dunno.</p> <p>Feel free to PM anytime about this. Maybe I'd be more coherent that way haha. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-severe-ppappd-with-lo-1#post-2326245 Mon, 19 Oct 2015 18:21:34 +0000 MrsH 2326245@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ra: yes :( I had PPD last time with no anxiety and this time the PPD is about the same and the PPA is so so so awful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-severe-ppappd-with-lo-1#post-2326243 Mon, 19 Oct 2015 18:20:40 +0000 littlejoy 2326243@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Reaching out to tell you I'm thinking of you. </p> <p>I am struggling with PPA as well (still at 22 months). I know how overwhelming it can feel ... and how difficult it makes planning for other kiddos in the future. Hugs to you.</p> <p>Following. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-severe-ppappd-with-lo-1#post-2326241 Mon, 19 Oct 2015 18:19:27 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 2326241@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wonder if going in to t knowing you went through it before you/your family/your doctor could be on high alert and quicker to treat anything that came up?</p> <p>Good luck on deciding what to do! :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-severe-ppappd-with-lo-1#post-2326236 Mon, 19 Oct 2015 18:17:28 +0000 Peasinapod 2326236@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I hesitate to share this because I don know if this is typical and don't want to discourage you..</p> <p> My mother had very severe ppd with my older sister. Hospitalized for several months. 4 years later she had me. After I was born she had post partum psychosis and was hospitalized for almost 2 years. </p> <p>So in her case it was much worse. But both times she recovered. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-severe-ppappd-with-lo-1#post-2326170 Mon, 19 Oct 2015 17:09:51 +0000 Ra 2326170@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>...did you have it with LO #2? I suffered from some pretty severe PPA/PPD after I had my son. Mine was a late onset and even now, at over 2-years-old, I'm still struggling with its effects.</p> <p>My husband and I go back and forth on the topic of #2 but the main thing that is holding us both back is my mental health. We are both terrified it's going to hit me again or, even more scary, be worse than last time.</p> <p>I have an annual coming up in December where I will bring this up with my OB but was hoping some of you would share your experiences. </p>