It sucks!!! the screaming! when you finally go to sleep he wakes up again! over and over and over... I found great confort in going out with my girlfreind for lunch, take him out and hang in there!

I had weird symptoms of ppd w/ my first son who is now 5..Mostly I was nurotic about the baby and started having panic attacks..I didn't do the crying and moping so I didn't realize what my problem was until my 6 month old was born. With him I've had none of that, but my situation is very different..If you are stressed about money or home life, if it's your first child, if your in your early 20's all these things make your chances of being depressed higher..Just relax though..It'll get better, and if you're feeling a bond w/ your baby, not having any thoughts of hurting him then you're doing great!

YES!!! I have gone through it and it's not fun! =[

I had it bad after my triplets were born; things were never the same again after they arrived. I felt lost and out of place, and over whelmed with no sleep. I tried to breast feed with no success, I lost my beautiful pre-pregnancy shape, (I had a c-section and herniated stomach walls), and I mourned the end of my independent social life style. I didn't start feeling normal again till after I started a fulltime job when the boys were 1 year olds. I knew what I was going through and I think that was a great help in figuring out ways to fight it off. I never saw anyone for the condition or took any drugs. I have very strong feelings toward therapy and medication. I figured since I understood this was a condition tied to the pregnancy I know it would pass. I tried to eat healthy, get tons of exercise and express my feelings to family and friends for support and help.

So I had another little one four years later, this time I was going to have my baby naturally. So one day Dylan made his move to come out and I went into labor. I was dilating and pushing for over 12 hours, but all of a sudden Dylan’s heart rate began to drop so they performed an emergency c-section. I have to tell you I never had depression after his birth and I bounced back with in three week of his arrival. I also breastfeed him till he was six months old, once I started working again.

Ok… ready for this… I had another one, Dimitri! Since I had two previous c-sections the doctor was not going to let me have him naturally, so we scheduled his birth. I again went into a deep-deep-deep depression. So here’s my take on it….

I feel like, for me personally, the fact I went into labor with Dylan made a big difference. I feel the pregnancy cycle was complete, and it run it’s course. With the other two pregnancies the process was premature and my body was not ready to let go. Now with Dimitri I just stopped breast-feeding him, (His now six months old), and I’m working fulltime again. All the depression is gone and I’m back to myself again. I think having a support group, eating right, exercising, being social, and get back into things that make you feel like a real person again all really help a woman heal from post partum depression.

With my first I had it for about a year. It was so bad that I almost gave him up for adoption. I thought that He would be better off without me. But then something snapped me out of it. With my second child I only mildly had it for about 2 months. I think cause this time i was more aware and I went to the doctor as soon as I saw the signs.

What about those that can't afford drugs and spa stuff? I have two girls and my husband-great helper-is working two jobs and usually doesn't get home till 9 or later. The weekends he works too, not as late though. I am seeing a counselor through Family and CHildren Services-it does have a copay based on our income though. My insurance doesn't cover ANY psychological problems or meds. I try to get out when the weather permits. I don't have family that is closer than two hours away so I feel alone most of the time. There is some post partum group that might be linked through a church. I think that's always somewhere good to start.

It took me about a year to get over it. I went to the doctor and got drugs. :-)