[SchmennaLeigh]

I need to know stories of birthmothers who experienced post-partum depression either with the child that they placed or with any subsequent children that they parented.

[angelsmom]

Is this for your own personal information or a study or article?

[SchmennaLeigh]

Own personal. Thanks.

[lahdh4]

I had depression in my teens but I was hit BIG TIME with PPD a couple of months after J. I had a complete breakdown and just wanted to end it all. I had to step back from J for a few months and get myself back. Slowly working towards that one.

[Free_to_be_me]

I don't know if I was dealing with PPD or depression due to the grief from placing my baby girl. I do know that I was a mess and am really lucky I found a way to figure stuff out. It took a few months of misery and then almost a year of counseling before I went a week without crying.

[angelsmom]

I never had PPD with any of my births. I had SEVERE DEPRESSION after surrendering, but since it was 6 mos after giving birth, I know it was NOT phsyiological/hormonal as PPD is.

I had anxieity to the point of almost paralyzing fear when I brought home my first son subsequent to the surender and had to change his first diaper with his circumcision bandage and all. I heard the tapes in my head saying I was not fit to be a mother.... That others were more derserving. I called my neighbor - mother of five -- and she was wonderful. She did NOT change him for me, as I asked her to, she just stood there and very calmly assured me, saying: You can dioit!

After that, I was fine!

[SchmennaLeigh]

Actually PPD is indicated as any depression within a year of birth.

The baby blues can happen in the days right after childbirth and normally go away within a few days to a week. A new mother can have sudden mood swings, sadness, crying spells, loss of appetite, sleeping problems, and feel irritable, restless, anxious, and lonely. Symptoms are not severe and treatment isn’t needed. But there are things you can do to feel better. Nap when the baby does. Ask for help from your spouse, family members, and friends. Join a support group of new moms or talk with other moms.

Postpartum depression can happen anytime within the first year after childbirth. A woman may have a number of symptoms such as sadness, lack of energy, trouble concentrating, anxiety, and feelings of guilt and worthlessness. The difference between postpartum depression and the baby blues is that postpartum depression often affects a woman’s well-being and keeps her from functioning well for a longer period of time. Postpartum depression needs to be treated by a doctor. Counseling, support groups, and medicines are things that can help.

Postpartum psychosis is rare. It occurs in 1 or 2 out of every 1000 births and usually begins in the first 6 weeks postpartum. Women who have bipolar disorder or another psychiatric problem called schizoaffective disorder have a higher risk for developing postpartum psychosis. Symptoms may include delusions, hallucinations, sleep disturbances, and obsessive thoughts about the baby. A woman may have rapid mood swings, from depression to irritability to euphoria.

http://www.womenshealth.gov/faq/postpartum.htm

[bromanchik]

I think almost all birthmothers experience some sort of depression after placement. It is a symptom of grief, and I would say really hard to differentiate between the experience of grief and PPD. In fact, I really hesitate to identify it as PPD because the outcomes are so different. And because agencies and providers have often used the syndrome as a way of getting around the loss and grief in adoption.

I do know a number of women that experienced PPD with subsequant children. Myself, I had "Pre Partum Depression". I convinced myself after my son was born that I was not mother material and I would never have children. 5 years and one husband later I found myself thinging of parenting... and it terrified me. I literally plunged into depression. It took about 8 months of therapy for me to realize that what I was grappling with was shame and not feeling "worthy" to be a parent. Those messages are so ingrained into birthparents we often do not recognise them.

[beans]

I gave up my son in 1970. I had brain surgery at the age of 9, in the year 1959, due to a rare disorder I was born with. I was also born with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome). I now realize that both conditions can cause depression and anxiety, and the brain thing did cause learning disorders due to the surgery, along with depression, anxiety and ADD. I am blind to the left in both eyes as a result of that surgery, too. My husband died in 1997 when he was 47 after getting heart failure due to another rare disorder. He got the disease in 1987, when he was 37. I never could figure out why I was so sad!! How stupid was I? Only recently I found out what went on in my brain, since my mother refused to talk about that, along with my baby, and I never knew what I know now. I researched all of it, and I know some of this mess is the result of real disorders in my body. I am not an alien, which is how I always felt and still do at times. I am glad I found this site. Thanks for listening. Sorry for sounding like I was whining, and I will try not to do that again. But geez!?!? Enough is enough. I do so miss my son, though.

beans

[andraya]

I had no PPD with my first, he was placed at 3 after a year of living with his afamily as a foster child. My second was born a month to the day after i signed over my rights to Justin. Had post partum psychosis with her and was hospitalized for a month, during that time she went to live with her father permanently. I just had my third, another daughter, 7 weeks ago and so far i'm fine. prior to her birth i was a mess, went from being defiant "screw the lot of you i am a good mother" to fearfull "i couldn't do it before what makes me think i can do it now" at least 5 times a day. thankfully i am aware of the warning signs and have a great family to watch for them with me.