Post Natal Depression

[Paulst30]

Hello,

I just wanted to mention to all the guys on Answer Bank who are soon to be or recently have become a Dad.

Spare a thought for your partner and be very watchful of her as this condition can have terrible effects on her mind. My wife suffered from it and i was about as useful as a blowup dart board and my friend now cannot see that his own wife is suffering too no matter what i tell him.

So i extend my sympathy to the thousands of women who suffer from this, every year.

[cockroach]

I had it for about a week...(v lucky)& Mr Roach who was suffering with depression at the time aswell...told me to get over it !!!. when he found me crying my eyes out in the loo.
We were a right pair!. I send good vibes to all too. You feel so alone.

[ELVIS68]

Also, don`t go overboard with the sympathy, they`ll take advantage of it, you`ll suffer every month for life

[redcrx]

It affects a lot of women though with some it can be very mild.
I hope your wife is well now.

as for your friend, please ask him to have a word with his wifes health visitor or midwife. There is a simple test that can be taken to give an indication of PND and there are many ways to treat it as you will know.

heres a link to the edinburgh test online http://www.testandcalc.com/etc/tests/edin.asp

[nat_84]

I hope i dont get this :o(

[OBonio]

My wife suffered mildly with it I think. I was quite worried as she just cried for no reason. I confronted her with it and she said it was just the lack of sleep and coping with the breast feeding. I still kept an eye out though, but she was fine once sleeping patterns were back to normal. God knows how she breast fed for 6 months though.....

[Panic Button]

Don't forget the first time Dad too!

It is a stressful time as you feel overwhelmed by the change of situation and new resposibility.

Everyone shows massive interest in the new arrival, and you can find yourself feeling very odd. My youngest is now 14, but I still vividly remember the first few weeks after the new arrival.

[OBonio]

Just to add, fathers can also suffer from PND, it's just we're the less important one's in all of it unfortunately.

[Lore]

I've got pnd and although it's difficult to cope with, I'm doing everything I can to continue with 'normality'
Mr Lore is very understanding and will do anything to help me get through this, but I still try to hide how I'm feeling as I don't want to burden him with my problems.

I get up, put on the mask (no comments here thank you!!) and head off to work each day, most people think I'm ok, but the reality is, inside, I'm falling to pieces.

I'm lucky that I have the support of my fiance. I think I'd have gone under by nnow if it wasn't for him.

(you can all stick your fingers down your throats now! :oP )

[rugeleyboy]

my wife suffered with it in a big way, in the end i had to go to her doctor and get it sorted, he was quite have to have her taken away by the men in white coats but it didnt go that far,................... she still suffers now but its not as bad as it was!

ps.........tell your friend that i got stabbed in the arm before i did anything about it!

[Mammar]

Quite apart from wanting to strangle Elvis - I wish there were more caring men like you Paulst30 (May I call you Paul?)
I suffered from PND badly after my first baby to the point now that I can recall little of those first few months of her life other than the bad bits.
Lore - bless you - stick in there it does get better. Thank heavens you have someone supporting you.
Paul - let your friend read this thread and then perhaps he may believe you. She's given him a beautiful baby. The least he can do is open his eyes and see what she's going through