Hi
My daughter is almost 8 months old and was 4 weeks early!! She was a tiny 2.2kg when born!! Other than being tiny birth and pregnacy went really well!!
I haven't had any health issues with her other than being advised to basically keep her at home for the first 12 weeks!! And she is still slightly under weight!
I have been to 3 different doctors about possibly having post natal depression and all the testing has come back negative!
I just have the craziest anxiety and just feel like I don't feel like my old self! My babies are only 13 months apart and obviously my hormones are all over the place but I guess I'm asking 2 things has any body else had two kids really close together or for the premie mums do you have the same anxiety or panic that I have!! I just want to enjoy my daughter but I just get upset when people say oh wow look how tiny she is I don't know why but I wish people would say how cute she is rather than how tiny she is!! Any advise is appreciated
Feeling overwhelmed
Feeling overwhelmed
Posted in:
Baby & Toddler
4 Replies
The depression score won't normally pick up anxiety, it's built to pick up depressive thoughts - so go back and see someone (different) and explain that you feel you have anxiety. Ask for blood tests as well including thyroid as sometimes deficiencies and other issues can manifest as anxiety and/or depression, and some things like vitamin/mineral deficiency or thyroid problems are common after birth.
If/when you've ruled out physical reasons for it, it might be a good idea to find someone to talk to.
My son was prem, I was diagnosed PTSD, PND as well as paranoid anxiety (I could not take him in public uncovered, I seriously was convinced he was going to be kidnapped if anyone I didn't know looked at him) Maybe you need to just go see a counselor and talk about things :-) clearly you can tell you need some help but *possibly not PND just an anxiety thing???
We have tiny babies. Not prem, just totally tiny. People will comment on a child no matter what, big, small etc Plus for a lot of people tiny does = cute. Yes I'm tiny too so people will call me tiny it cute.
Definitely get your anxiety levels checked. Also try and not take what people say personally. When people say tiny immediately remind yourself your baby is healthy.
My parents lost a baby before me to cot death. When my daughter was born, I would set my alarm so if she didn't wake up for a scheduled feed at night, I would wake and check on her. I did this for months. I was massively anxious for the first few months and the only thing that helped was time (and eventually finding a good psych who I could let all my crazy out to). My daughter wasn't premmie but it was a difficult birth and I was petrified that after all I had gone through to get her, that she would be taken away. So you are not alone. Speak with your GP about treatment for anxiety, rather than depression. I have a history of both but they are two separate illnesses. They often co-exist but it is possible to suffer from one and not the other. Good luck!