Another Baby After PPD

I got ppd after my first pregnancy. It wasn't a bad case though. My thought was b/c I had a bad first c-section with every complication in the book and a bad recovery. Then b/c of the pain and my husband going straight back to work I don't think I slept for the 1st week home and that combined with the pain made me ready for a meltdown. At the doctors office when they were giving the baby a shot.. I felt bad for my baby and started balling... The pediatrician called my doctor and recommended that I get something. lol But now I know.. I still do that and that baby is 5 and I still get all teary eyed.. I know some cases are different but my 2nd pregnancy went very smoothly, planned c-section, my waterbroke but still went very smoothly and the recovery was much smoother. I bled for several months.. probably became a lil anemic from it but 2nd time around was MUCH easier and the only thing stressful was the jealous first child.. :) Just don't be afraid to ask others around you if you need help and if you feel bummed.. the doctor can prescribe something and it will help.

I too had severe PPD after my first child and I was also very afraid to have baby #2. The problem the first time around was that I didn't seek treatment for 2 months. After I started taking Zoloft things completely changed and I was able to enjoy my baby. I stayed on Zoloft for 7 months. When I had baby #2 (they are 17.5 months apart), I knew it was a good possibility that I would get PPD again. I started to get PPD symptoms when the baby was 5 days old so I started Zoloft again. It helped me enjoy my baby so much better this time around. I didn't want to take medication with baby #1 because I was ashamed and felt like I had failed as a mother. But I came to realize that I wasn't the only one who experienced PPD and the only way for me to be a good mother was to take medication.

What's your family's history with depression (in general, not just PPD)? If there's a history, you might just be biologically vulnerable. There are certain antidepressants you can take in the last trimester of pregnancy, which is good because some antidepressants can take a month to kick in. So if you start taking them in the 7th month, they should be in your system by the 8th, and should you have the baby early its in your system and you don't have to wait for it to work. But this is definitely something to talk to your doc about.

Hope this helps!

I had PPD (undiagnosed) with my first but didn't with my second (and I'm exoecting #3). Both DH and I were hyper-aware of it this last time arond and the parenting experience was easier when we were expecting it to be just as difficult so all those things helped. It lasted 4 months with my first so I had rationalized I could do 4 months of it again but would get professional help this time and I ended up feeling pretty good. I still had Baby Blues for a bit after and a rough day here or there but on the whole it was nothing like the first.
I'd talk to your OB or therapist about it. The OB I switched to because we moved was willing, almost enthusiastic, about writing a scrip for a low dose of a non-depressant that I could take for the last few weeks of pregnancy so that I would never feel bad. I was hesitatnt to do that and it ended up being OK for me not to but I share that to let you know your OB or therapist are in your corner and focused on your health so they may have some suggestions.
HTH-
J.

My sister and one of my friends had severe PPD with their first children. Both of them were sooo scared while pregnant with their second child what the future would hold. My sisters doctor gave her Zoloft to start taking after in case but my sister never had to take it and did not struggle with PPD at all with her second. My friend also had no PPD with her second. My friend said she read that people with anemia struggle with PPD and started taking iron earlier with her second. I am not sure how true this is but it is strange both my sister and friend were both anemic with their first pregnancy. You might want to look in to it? I doubt it makes a difference but they both had girls the first time and boys the second? My friend also breastfed with her second because she had heard that helped? I hope you have the same experience as them and the second is a breeze. I would talk to your doctor in case and have something on hand if needed. Best wishes!!!!!

Hi! While it is possible you could have PPD with another pregnancy, it is also possible you may not. I had PPD with my first son, and unfortunately, I didn't resolve it before my second son was born. So it drug out through my second son's first year, only because I waited too long to deal with it. However, with my third pregnancy, because I was very aware of how things could go, we were able to manage and were on the lookout for symptoms before they got out of hand. Fortunately, there were no problems. I think that if you are very pro active in dealing with things, be sure to let your OB know your PPD history so that he/she can help you early if needed, and family can help identify things early and support you, things can be managed very well. The key is early treatment - of course, you may not have any issues at all!

Personally, I believe part of my easier time with my last pregnancy is due to the fact I knew what to expect! (To a degree, anyway - since my 3rd pregnancy was twins!) As a first time mom, things can seem so new and scary sometimes. Since I had to little ones already, it was easier for me to relax and understand phases, illnesses, sleep issues, etc better and not get so concerned and frustrated, which helped me manage things better.

Good luck in your decision - if you want another baby, I wouldn't let PPD prevent you from having one, but just be ultra aware of the signs and symptoms, let everyone in your family and your OB know and help you and enjoy your growing family!!

Go into it with the attitude that this is not going to get you down this time. Get some counseling first. Make sure that after the baby, at the first sign of depression, you get some medication.

I was depressed (dont know if it was "post partum" or not) after my first two children. There was quite a gap before I had the third, but I was very happy after I had him. I did not have the heavy depression I had before, but everyone is different.

Hi there,

I have 3 children and I had it.
With my first, it was serious enough that my DH asked me to call the Dr and they gave me medication. I took it for 4 months.
With my second, they were 11 months appart, it was HORRIBLE. The 10 plus days it took it to kick in were some of the longest days in my life, absolutely horrible.

I took the medication for 3 months.

With my 3rd my husband said he simply couldn't go through it again so I got on medication half way through and never had it!

I was not going to take a risk and I am so glad because he was the first newborn I was able to hold in my arms and looking into his little face and really feel peaceful and like I was happy....

Don't feel bad if you DO decide to take something. Your sanity is much more important so you can be thebest mom you can be for ur kids.

I never had this, but my sister and I were talking about it just the other day. She has a friend who has had it after 3 of her 5 children were born. She found that taking fish oil helps. It has something to do with the chemicals in the brain. I am not sure how or why, but it is something to research and check with you doctor and local health food store. Good Luck.

No two pregnancies are alike. There is no reason to believe you will have the same problems with the second one you had with the first one.
Did they account any or all of your depression to hormonal imbalances? If so then you know what to do to get help before the fear becomes a reality. If they did not then there is a 90% chance this will not happen again.

Hi M.,

I did have a 2nd baby after PPD. (3.5 years age difference) It wasn't as bad the second time around. (I did have some, but there were other depressing events that may have played into it as well, e.g. a move).

I am very glad we did--wouldn't trade him for anything! Every pregnancy and every baby are different.

As someone else said it is a little easier because you know what to expect both with PPD and baby stuff in general.

So if you want another baby, go for it!

K. Z.

I had PPD really bad with my first baby but didn't know what it was until later. After I got pregnant the second time I talked to my doctor about it right away. We had a plan in place. I would leave the hospital with a prescription to have at home just in case. I only had to use it a couple of times. I found that I didn't have PPD the second time, just stress from having a 3 yo and a baby. I used cammomile for that and it helped a lot.