Pregnancy Support Group

It will be okay. I'm bipolar type 1, and have been battling depression off and on throughout this pregnancy. I can't take anti-depressants because they send me into a state of mania and I feel like I'm losing my mind! I wake up in a panic sometimes thinking I can never handle this, but then I feel her move and I realize it's okay.
Zoloft is commonly used in pregnancy and I have heard of a lot of people taking it and everything turned out perfectly fine. Your doctor will only prescribe you medications where the benefits outweigh the risks. Your mental health is important to your little one and you need to take care of yourself too.
The best gift you can give your child is a mother who is there for her, and sometimes that requires you taking some medications, if you doctor feels it is necessary. I was on buspirone for anxiety for about five weeks, and after five weeks I felt great, and was actually able to go off it. It's a category B medication, which is the same category as tylonel.
You have all the support from us, tons of us have been in the same boat you are. I know I have, especially earlier in my pregnancy, I was so scared of being a mother, but it went away, and now I'm ready to have this baby and hold her and give her every ounce of love I can.
It will be okay, remember, this too shall pass.

*hugs*

Debbie

It might be helpful if you can to see a family therapist. I know several people who have gone after they had their babies for postpartum depression, but I don't know why it would be different to go a head and go now.

I am bipolar type 1 rapid cycler. I was on heavy meds prior to getting pregnant that I went off prior to getting pregnant because this was a planned pregnancy. It has been really really rough to say the least. Like debbie said we cant take the antidepressants because they will make us manic. And being a rapid cycler I am very prone to quick results from meds. I have used therapy as my main support system. I also suffer from anxiety. I have been fortunant to only have a couple really bad attacks.

As for the Zoloft do some of your own research and see why your doctor feels its safe. Then take the medication! The reason I say this i because yor developing baby needs this as much as you. Your menal state does affect the baby's developement. If your overly stressed or you are having probles with your depression chemicals the bab gets those chemicals as well. They become use to them and thier body will look for them after birth because it s 'normal' for them. THey have done studies that suggest that babies born to moms that had out of control untreated depression/anxiety/pain ect were more prone to colic. This is one of the few reasons I continue my pain medication for my fibromyalgia. Yes I feel bad that IM giving my baby drugs, but I also know the affect that the stress from the pain will cause my baby problems too. I dont take anying for my bipolar but only because there is nothing safe enough to take. Also they think that with the drugs they permit during pregnancy that very little of the medication actually crosses the placenta. At 31 weeks your baby would do alright if it had to be born now. You past the point of miscarrage (well not completely but the majority of misscarriages happens befor now) If you had to have the baby there might be complications but our medical world is advanced enough to help our little one survive nicely. So if yor anxiety is over that then do some research and find some answers that ease your mind that baby would be ok.

DO you usualy have anxiety or depression when your no pregnant? If not then you are probally just reacting to the pregnancy hormones and when you have baby everything will be ok. I would suggest tha either way you think about staying on the antidepressant for 3 months to let your bodies chemicals get back to normal and not make your self go throght major postpartume.

As for your hubby. If he doesnt know how to help you then maybe you hve some ideas on what can help? I know that when your realy depressede you want your loved ones to fix it for youand you reach out to them. Problem is they dont know how to hlp you and ultimately out side of being supportive and helping physically around the house there isnt much they can do short of making a doctors apt for you. I used to beg my husband to make it better. To take the weight off my shoulders. Problem is he couldnt. THe best things he ever did for me where calling the crisis line and handing me the phoe so I could talk to some one, taking me to the crisis center when I needed it, or calling my councilor to let her know what was going on. Basically the best thing he could do for me was help me reach out to those that know how to help. IF there is something he can do that you think would help be specific and talk to him when your not in tears (to start with- those conversations always lead to tears for me but they are different kinds of tears) and just let him know that right ow you need those extra hugs being told your loved and just more time spent together or what not....

Hang in there your not alone and we are here to talk if you need some one.

It will be ok. I had depression around the same time as you with my last pregnancy and was put on Effexor XR. I to wasn't sure if I really wanted to. I did a bit of research and decided that DD was at a stage of development that she would be ok. She turned out fine.

I had Post Natal Depression with my first baby (DS) and it was actually my DH that picked up on the Ante-Natal Depression with DD. But it didn't make him any more understanding when I said I needed help. He would just tell me to ring my mum, as he just didn't understand what I needed.

If you need someone to talk to I'm here. As are all the other mums ((((HUGS)))