Conference turris::womannotes-v3

    Deb,
    
       I have a great article from a publication called Mothering I can
    send you or your friend.  Where are you located?  I have been through
    severe PPD and would be happy to talk to you or your friend about my
    experiences.  It's no fun, but it is very treatable, though your friend 
    may have a hard time believing that right now.
    
    Let me know where to send a copy of the article.
    
    Jodi-
    

    
    re.0
    
    In some severe cases, post-partum depression does not pass without
    medical treatment.
    There has been documentaries on PBS and also articles in the papers
    on this subject. Some women ended up rejecting/hurting/killing their 
    babies.
    
    If your friend is experiencing this longer than normal
    (I think it is a few weeks), have her seek medical advice.  
    
    	Eva.

    see also...
    
    medical
    448 - post-partum
    642 - ppd and Prozac?
    
    Parenting
    538 - postpartum depression 
    1985 - PPD?
    2013 - post-partum discussion
    
    Womannotes-V2
    590 - PPD murder or not (may be less pertinent than the others)
    
    -Jody
    

    The following response is from a member of our community who wishes
    to remain anonymous at this time.

    							=maggie
    ====================================================================


    I know know if this is PPD or what it is

    Our son (that still sounds strange to me) is three months old now and
    he's a happy little soul he sleeps through the night smiles and
    laughs and doesn't cry (unless for a good reason!).

    but there's a snag here for the last month (or so) my wife has been
    very 'weepy' for no apparent reason at some times she's even spoken
    of putting our son up for adoption (and if you knew how much she loves
    him you would know how 'wrong' that is) because she cannot cope with
    him  but she *_is_* coping very well in fact  (IMO) Some days
    things are fine but some days for no (apparent) reason she's in
    floods of tears.

    Part of the problem is that my wife quit work to have him and is at
    home looking after him during the week (this is the UK where daycare
    is the exception.  Most (?) people give up work to look after the
    kids) and since my wife has always worked I think its a bit of a shock
    to her system to be on her own all day.  We do have some friends in
    the area that she can visit (so its not as if she 'hangs around the
    house' all day) (both sets of parents live (at least) two hours drive
    away).

    The other part of the problem is that my wife lacks self confidence. 
    She can do 'things' very well but she doesn't really believe it, e.g.,
    some time back she took driving lessons and passed the driving test
    (much harder that it is in the States I believe) first time!  (I had to
    re-take it two times before I passed (for comparison)) but after she
    passed the test she only drove a few times.  Why?  She's a very good
    driver (much better than me) but because she lacks self confidence she
    didn't think she was good (we live in easy walking distance of a large
    town center so 'access' is no problem)

    The above are two parts of the problem but its not the reason at all.
    Neither of the above would normally bother my wife at all (her words)
    but its just as if something is amplifying bad/negative feelings to
    the point where they overwhelm her.  She seems to think (in her words)
    "its all gone wrong"

    On Saturdays my wife works (we need the cash but who doesn't?) and I
    look after our son so my wife gets some time off from being 'just' mom
    so this gives her a break (and she really enjoys getting out to work). 
    And if I'am off during the week  (or either set of parents stop over
    night with us) then  everything is fine!  It seems to be when she is on
    her own, when she doesn't have the support of someone else there 


    What to do?  Will this just pass over in time? (she is seeing our
    doctor and he's suggested getting out to "Mother and baby" groups in
    the area we are checking this out now.

    Its casting a very dark cloud over an (otherwise) very happy time.

    This is one time to say, get both of yourselves into counseling quick. 
    From what you said in yoour note, this sounds like depression.  After
    whatching one couple (very good friends) go through this, I do feel
    that a combination of counseling, and if needed, medication can work
    wonders.