My friend had a preemie baby after 30 weeks preganancy, after a very difficult pregancy. Baby is doing good but she is suffering badly with postpartum depression and is miserable. Is not able to sleep and eat. Any thoughts what can help her?
Thanks a lot for all wonderful responses. She is seeing a doctor and doing much better now.
If she hasn't seen her doctor for this, she needs to. I don't have personal experience with this, but it can become REALLY bad, so it shouldn't be brushed off as a phase. Perhaps some of the mamas out there can refer someone who has experience treating it. Whatever her family can do to help her out, cause sleep and stress have knocked her for a loop, would be great as well.
I agree with the other mothers, encourage (insist) that she seek professional medical help immediately. Let her know that it is a common reaction and that with appropriate help, it will go away in time and not effect the relationship with her child long term. Untreated, however, could result in very different results.
I, too, had a baby at 30 weeks and experienced postpartum. While my baby was in the hospital, my husband's grandmother was deathly ill, so I spent my days traveling between the 2.
Glad to hear baby is doing well! Tell your friend to call her ob/gyn and tell him/her..they have medication for this!
get her an appointment with her doctor. it's a chemical reaction, quite normal, and she just needs to get everything back on track. any doc would help and give her meds. if she's fighting going to the doc, trick her to go for a checkup. seriously, she'll thank you for it later.
She should speak with her doctor immediately. I had some depression after my second child, not severe, but enough to make life difficult for a while. My mom was there for me anytime I needed her and she would have recommended a doctor if things had been more severe. For me, it lasted about the first 2 months. A previous response mentioned SAMe. It is indeed a natural suppliment that you can buy at a store like GNC, but be warned, it caused me severe stomach aches and I had to stop taking it. It took a couple of days for me to get over the stomach pains. After that experience, I will never again take any vitamin, suppliment or medication without discussing it with a doctor first. I hope your friend will see a doctor and that she is feeling better soon.
I would stongly encourage her to talk to her doctor. It is okay to ask for help. A lot of women feel like a failure and that is not the case.
Your friend needs professional help NOW! Encourage her to talk to her doctor immediatley.
i also struggled with severe (off and on) for the 1st 2 months after my first baby. i should have been on some medication. for my second birth i delivered with a mid-wife. she knew of my history w/ depression after delivery, so she warned me that i should begin taking Sam-e on the day of my baby's birth. i did and i was a completely different person. i took 400 mg a day. Sam-e is something that our body already produces, it's TOTALLY natural, like i said, already found in our chemical make-up. i took this for the first couple of months and i felt wonderful.
Sam-e can be found at a grocery store or at health food stores. this is a great alternative to anti-depressants or at least a good idea to try for a couple weeks before an anti-depressant that has lots of side effects.
I really would encourage her to talk to her OB/GYN about it and most likely get on an antidepressant AND seek some short term counseling. She will enjoy her baby more and that makes a huge difference for baby as well. If the baby was a preemie maybe ECI can get involved and they have counselors for the mom as well that will go to her home!! But medication and counseling are the most effective road and it is short term!!
It is great that she has a friend that cares so much, that is a big plus.
She should seek some professional help. This is not anything to play around with. Good luck!
