Depression in pregnancy and post-partum..is it or is it a passing symptom?

Feeling depressed?

Feeling guilty?

--Temper raised so easily by everything. Teaching kids about shoe tying and manners..and losing it. Mad at myself. Then kid is upset with themselves. Told myself I wouldn't be that mom. Now I have to be that work in progress. I was so much better being a therapist working with kids than my own. Am I the mom everyone is saying why did she have kids in the first place then...or am I just lost in how to be a good mom, while under my own stresses. Like someone once told me, "It's all in the delivery." I am just mad at myself that I can't be the mom everyone gushes about being so good.--

I can't be the only one who feels this way!

Being made felt bad for not feeling well:

"You're laying down again?"

"You've been pregnant before, so it should be easier for you to handle, right?"

The sympathetic husband...what are you after?

Let's be honest. It's never enough for us, lol. However, a little surprise goes a long way.

-Grateful--We SHOULD be!-

Yes, there are couples who cannot have babies. There are babies with all sorts of disabilities and complicated pregnancies.

Someone always has it a little worse than you. Find that silver lining before the obvious miracle at the end of this journey. That's all I keep telling myself.

God won't give you something you can't handle. Best piece of knowledge I know.

~Food (pros and cons)~

(Note: November, 2011, retrieved from: http://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/food-and-mood-best-foods-make-you-feel-better)

Mood booster:  Low fat, low protein, high carb (Think english muffin with blueberry jam)

Sleep help: Cut caffeine, lighten dinner, replace chocolate with carob, increase copper intake (Think chicken sandwich or half a baked potato)

Knock out bad weather blues: Have a little caffeine. (You are allowed a cup of coffee a day.) The contraindication for this is that caffeine can increase irritability. Know the difference in your mood.

Keep exhaustion at bay: Eat food with iron. (Think beans, legumes, and meats.)

Refuse to feel depressed: Eat fish.

Bat away stress:  Have a healthy shake or smoothie.  (Think sugar-free green berry smoothies)

YOGA:

Studies have proven that yoga releases endorphins and gets rid of toxins in your body, which in turn will help your body's hormones and feeling less emotional. So downward dog, y'all!

"Every pregnancy is different"

Sometimes, not all the time, I want to cause pain to those pregos that have absolutely no problems. Just kidding. But SERIOUSLY?! No morning sickness. No hunger pains. No weight control issues. Still exercising verociously. No rushing to the bathroom every 5 mins. No worries about baby having too low or too high birth weight.  No swelling. No weird growing feet. They sneeze and give birth to twins vaginally.  Yeah, okay.  Let me be the first one to say THEY ARE THE WEIRD ONES.  We do the best we can.  If we don't think like that, these self-doubting thoughts and depressive symptoms creep up and ruin our job of providing forth our little miracle.

How did our moms do it?

I really think each generation of moms had it easier in a certain way. Our moms? They weren't the Pinterest-researching, fun and healthy meal-prepping, activity planning moms we are. Atleast, my mom wasn't.  She had to work 2 nursing jobs, while dealing with hyperemesis gravidarum for 9 months, creating a meal that would last all week for everyone and clean whenever she could. The parties involved inviting people over and ordering or cooking buffet food. There were no girls nights out and established foods you could not eat and dads were not as hands-on.
So, in conclusion, ...............................................................................................................................

Pat yourself on the back and give yourself a standing ovation! You are doing things no other generation could pull off!

Careful!

You need to be careful in approaching and interacting with people apparently. I almost always smile and say hello to everyone I pass. To my embarassment, I had our crossing guard ask me, "Did I do or say anything to offend you?"It was then I realized I was so involved with my own stresses,  it comes across offensive. I told her that I was in my own little world and apologized. It made me open my eyes on what I have been doing.

But don't milk it...

While there is no way I can say I am a doctor or expert on depression, I can say I have been there.  I have also seen others and talked to others who have gone through it.  I have spoken to a dozen doctors, therapists,  and read up on research.  I have listened to advice from the opposite sex. 

Sometimes, we just have to take a step back and realize it's not so bad.  Just pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep on truckin.  Seek out professional help when you need to and take care of yourself.  Noone else can do it for you.

SUPPORT YOURSELF

Of course, a good support system helps tremendously.  If you are lucky enough to have a great husband (like mine:P) or partner, take heed of their input.  Let them in on your feelings.  Don't do this on a daily basis.  However, every once in a while, doing it may shed some light on what your real focus needs to be and what things can be done to turn around how you are feeling.  Turn to those moms who may just be those that had perfect pregnancies.  Misery loves company.  A smile, though, is contagious.  You may just forget for a moment about how irritatingly happy they are and laugh together about how cool it is eating a bowl of cereal on your belly.

The ultimate sacrifice with the ultimate blessing

Whether it be during pregnancy or post-pregnancy, feeling emotional is normal.  Hormones can also affect how extreme that can get.  Environmental, situations, support, complications all play a role.  However, what you feel is what that little stud or little ballerina will feel.  They learn everything from you.  They learn how to deal with stress and feeling let down from you.  They learn how to be proud of yourself through your actions.  Only us strong moms can do that.  What a tremendous job we have!  Take a look at their faces when you are feeling down and smile, thinking it's going to be a good day!