Hi. of course you're not being pathetic!! My little girl is now 9 months old and my PND was diagnosed at about 5 weeks after the birth. Totally understand your reluctance to take drugs but after a couple of weeks it really helped me. First 5 weeks of my daughter's life i didn't sleep or eat, just sobbed constantly and went through the motions of what i was meant to do and say. Didn't feel 'rush of love', had a difficult birth and unable to breast feed so felt a complete failure from the start. Now i feel completely different. I love my little girl to pieces and have gone back to work full time...reluctantly! My partner was helpful at the time but didn't really know what to do or say. Found councilling helpful. Hope you have a good relationship with someone else who has gone through this because I found that the most reaasuring and helpful thing. You are definately NOT alone! Hope you start to feel better soon. sarah x

Well done for phoning the helpline, that was realy brave! I suffered depression before I got pregnant and whilst the pregnancy makes me excited, happy and I 'glow' if I have to do anything non-baby related I just feel flat and de-motivated.
My partner has no clue about depression and he has that 'get on with it' attitude. When the doctors recommended I gave up work early I'm sure he thought I was putting it on!
We are coping okay though i have my doubts whether we'll b together 'forever'.

Please know that you aren't alone that you're doing a great job of being a mum.
Love and hugs, Kadie x

Hi, thank you so much both Megan and Ana. Believe it or not it really helps to hear some kinds words other than "get a grip". Thank you again. Today has been a really bad one, didn't help it was my birthday and felt so alone. BUT I am slowly starting to get help, rang a counselling service tonight which work put me in touch with. I have to make myself better for my daughter. KT:)xxx

Hi there, you definately dont sound pathetic, for me it was my partner who developed the depression after our first child and I can understand how the added pressure of a baby can really affect even the strongest relationships and familys can often make the situation worse. Try not to think of it as pulling yourself together, accept that you have an ILLNESS, you need time to let the medication work and recooperate. Try to focus on what you do well, dont rush back to work and take any support offered. You sound as though you have a good bond with your little girl but perhaps you need to focus some time on you and time with your husband. It does take time to re-build the relationship but you will get the trust back (from what you have said it sounds as though you no longer trust him to support you emotionally).

The good news is there is the light at the end of the tunnel - my husband is now off his anti-deppressants and we worked through his deppression together and when we had our second child were aware of the warning signs. I hope you find the support you need - Ana

hey hun you dont sound pathetic at all!! i havent had a baby im still trying. but i think men dont understand anything of womens problems they just dont see how we can get depressed and feel alone, everyone on here would understand where your coming from and some people probably know what your going threw, is it the family getting to much involved? if so tell them to but out for a little while if it is making you upset, im not sure what else to say as i havent had a baby yet, but i wish you all the best and im sure you will get support from this site! good luck and hope you get better soon xxx

Hi, this is so new to me and I hope I don't sound stupid. My little girl is now 7 months old and coming on great! Wish I could say the same for myself. Since Lily was born we have had problem after problem mainly from my partner's family. As you all know having a baby puts a great demand on a relationship and the added pressure of trouble causing mother and sister in laws does not help. They are finally starting to leave us alone but it has made a huge hole in our relationship. He is trying really hard to try and make up for all the nasty horrible things he has said to me but I can't seem to forget them. I have now been diagnosed with PND and been prescribed anti-depressants which I haven't taken yet. I really want to get through this but finding it really hard to function on a day to day basis. Weird thing is I can look after Lily and she is great but as soon as she isn't here or asleep I crumble. I so don't want to let her down. My partner finds me being diagnosed as depressed hard to deal with. He thinks I should just go back to work and deal with it! I am on the sick not only with depression but pain that I have suffered with since giving birth which I am under the hsopital with. Sorry if I sound pathetic just wondered if anyone could give me any tips on how to pull myself out of this!!!!