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It probably is but if you need help, don't be afraid to get it. Therapist? Doctor? Babysitter/mothers helper? Remember that PDD hormones can affect you for years. I'm sorry you're having such a rough time

My mom reminds me all the time thy everything's a phase, good or bad. I completely commiserate with feeling overly negative, we've been struggling with sleep ourselves. But im sure your husbands deployment adds a layer of stress I can't imagine! Hoping things get easier for you and LO soon.

Oh no, that sounds awful. Big, big hugs for you. I wonder if part of how you're feeling about it all is made worse by the fact that your hubby's leaving for a few months? I suspect it makes everything just seem even harder to cope with.

I can't stress enough that this phase will not last forever. Nothing like this ever does. I dunno if that helps.... but I hope it does!!

@zippylef: I think that's a really positive step, going home for some help and some TLC. I really don't know how you military wives cope - I'd be permanantly on edge, stressing and worrying all the time. It must be so hard being so far from home, too - there's no wonder you feel down sometimes. You'er in the UK aren't you?? The weather alone is enough to put anyone in a funk! I neeeeeeed some sunlight right now!!!!

You know, if you do start to feel like it's really getting on top of you, you can always see the doctor about it. Did you get medication or any othe help for your PPD?

@zippylef: Ha! I didn't even realize that @Cherrybee suggested the same thing. I mean, it is a serious thing. I grew up in the Midwest and am now in the Northeast, so it's not like I'm a stranger to shitty winters. But man, UK winter was a new experience for me. Maybe something to bring up w/ your doctor?

@zippylef: I feel ya. I remember feeling so overwhelmed when my LO was around 11 months old. I don't know what it was. I think I was really struggling with her transition from baby to toddler (here's a post I wrote then: http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/struggling-wtransition-to-toddler). She is super active and constantly on the move. Even though we baby-proofed the entire living room, she somehow manages to get into trouble every single second my back is turned.

She is also very, very attached to me (I'm a SAHM) and there are days when I get absolutely nothing done because she's constantly attached to me. My DH is really busy with work + school so it's usually just me alone with her. There was a two month point when everything was just really difficult for me. I can't really put it into words. But as I'm sitting here typing this today, I just realized that things somehow got a lot better. I didn't even notice that I don't feel as overwhelmed, stressed, tired, etc anymore. So I guess it was a phase and it passed. I hope it's the same for you

@zippylef: Get help, from anyone you can. I know that's easier said than done, but it seems like you need a regular break from her and that's okay!--it doesn't make you a bad mom at all!

My sister had an "easy" first baby and then a very difficult second baby (a boy). My nephew would scream allllll the time, for no reason, would NEVER sleep for the first 2 years of his life, would scream his head off anytime he was in his carseat--these were major problems because my BIL (her husband) is in the airforce and was also deployed three times in his first two years of life.

My mom would offer to take him for the weekend, but at first my sister resisted, because I think she felt guilty subjecting anyone else to his constant screaming, but finally my mom convinced her that she (my mom) wouldn't die with a screaming baby for one weekend--after all, my mom raised 6--- and so my sister dropped him off FOR THE ENTIRE WEEKEND and yes, the first time he screamed a lot (but he was doing the same thing at home). The second overnight with my mom, he slept!! And he never slept with my sister.

Soon, those overnight visits starting happening every-other-week or so, just so my sister could rest and catch up on errands and do all the things she couldn't do with a screaming child.

He's in 1st grade now, and he DID grow out of it, but it took a long time. They never did figure out what was wrong---the doctors never found a reason, he was always healthy---just a screaming baby. Now he's a super energetic, totally normal 6 year old.