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Sounds like it could be depression or anxiety. Talk to your doctor about it. It's pretty common. I had Postpartum Depression after my first two and it really sucked. I was overwhelmed, angry, anxious, etc. Anti-depressants made a huge difference for me, brought me back to normal, actually. There are other treatment options though if you don't want to take medication. Your doctor can give you more info.! How old is your son? Well, I hope you feel better soon!

sahmof3 did you know right away you had it? I have a 15 month old and am 32 weeks pregnant with my second child. I haven't felt myself since my first child was born. I know have some anxiety issues and I use to take zanex. I still get anxious but it's more than that.... I keep thinking I will feel like myself eventually but I haven't. I use to work full-time and am now a stay at home mom and that has been a challenge for me. I just feel lost and I get angry at little things..... I just don't feel like me. Sometimes I just cry and cry and I am not the same happy person I use to be. It's hard to know if it's the hormones or if it's more than that. I am wondering if it's safe to take medication the last couple months of pregnancy or if your doc has had you wait until after baby is born. I plan to nurse and am affraid of hurting the baby with the meds. I plan to talk to my doc at my apt this next week. i want to enjoy this baby and not feel in a fog like I did with the first.... the fog seems to be with me alot of the time... Thanks for any input and thanks for listening

LindseyP... with my first baby the PPD was almost immediate. He was delivered c-section and when I first laid eyes on him I was happy, but kind of panicked. I know that sounds so horrible for a mom to say, but that's how it was for me. I never got any help (doctor's help) with him and it went away when he was 11 months old and started sleeping through the night. With my 2nd I got it on about the 3rd day. This time I went to my doc a few weeks after delivery and was put on Lexapro (safe for nursing, too). I was warned that it could get worse before it got better with the meds... for me the first week taking meds I stayed the same, second week I felt worse, but third week I felt better! When I was pregnant with my 3rd they put me on Zoloft in my last month. I wasn't depressed then, but they wanted to put me on them then to prevent the PPD and it worked. I have heard of people being on antidepressants during pregnancy, so I think it's relatively safe... just ask your doctor about your specific case. I personally liked the Lexapro better... it helped my mood more than Zoloft and also made me think more clearly. (I also felt like I was in a fog when I was depressed and could barely think well enough to do simple tasks like loading the dishwasher, etc., it just felt so overwhelming). My youngest is 16 months and I'm not pregnant again (had my tubes tied), but those same feelings have been creeping up on me again and I don't know why, but I want to see my doctor before it gets really bad! Anyway, good luck with your new baby... what will your older one be?... about 17 months when the new baby comes? My 2nd and 3rd are 17 months apart! Anyway, good luck and take care:-)

Hi sahmof3 thanks for responding...... My babies will be about 17 months apart. My first baby was not a good sleeper at all. He started sleeping better around a year. I started to feel better for awhile but I think being pregnant so quick and just barely adjusting to motherhood has brought it back. I never really spoke to my doctor about it. She did put me on Zoloft the second week after my baby was born....I couldn't stop crying and I was so anxious all the time. I think the Zoloft helped but I was affraid to be dependent on anything so I weened myself off of it after a couple months. I think I need something now and am having a hard time doing anything. It scares me with the new baby coming and still having a little guy who is so dependent. I am going to talk to my doctor about it at my next appoinment. I will ask him about the Lexapro as well.... did you notice any other side effects..... How was it with having your first so close together? I have always wanted my babies close.... I want them to be playmates but I am scared of being so overwhelmed and not being myself will make it much harder. Most days I just feel foggy and sad and have a hard time even showering.....I know that isn't normal. Thanks!!!

PS...... did you stay on the medication long?

Hi Lindsey! For me, the Lexapro just seemed to lift my mood back to normal, take away the anxiety and help me to think more clearly. The Zoloft kept me from getting severely depressed, but I felt like it didn't work as well as Lexapro. Others have said the opposite, though, so I guess it's different from person to person. I stayed on the meds for about 2 months w/ my daughter... until she started sleeping through the night and I weaned off of them and was ok. I was kind of testing the theory that my PPD has more to do with lack of sleep (more than hormones)... because with my oldest I had PPD really bad until he was 11 months and sleeping through and then it just lifted so quickly! Anyway, i then went on Zoloft when I was in my last month with my 3rd baby and I went off of it when he was about 2 months. He actually slept through the night since birth, bt I wanted to stay on the meds until a few months PP. I didn't want to take a chance of it coming on so soon after delivery, especially coming home to a 5 year old, 17 month old and newborn! I was afraid of it... I'm sure you can understand that. I know what you mean about it being hard to even shower!!! Even now I can remember that I felt that way, but can't entirely remember the feeling (kind of like with pain), but I'm scared of it coming back, because I remember it just being so awful. Anyway, my doc said it works better to take meds from at least the last month of pregnancy on, so that they can stave off PPD. My 3rd baby was the only one I truly enjoyed as a newborn.I hope you can find something that works for you that you can feel comfortable taking :-) Anyway, I better git... good luck to you...hang in there... ~Tammy~

Tammy- Thanks for talking to me about what you went through and what worked for you. I am starting my 33rd week and want to talk to my doctor about getting on something the next few weeks. I think part of mine was the sleeping through the night thing. It scares me to death to feel like a zombie again(lack of sleep).. but I think it is more than that since my 15 month old sleeps through the night now and I still feel unlike myself. I don't know how to explain it. My doctor is pretty understanding and says its normal and that its up to me....... I want to talk to someone who actually says YES you need meds..... rather than someone saying it's up to me. Anyway...... I do know that being on them helped me for the couple months I was on them..... I am scared of having any problems with it getting into the baby's system.... but I have also heard it wont effect them. It's better for me to be healthy anyway, right? :) Thanks for listening and talking to me about it!!! I will ask him about both lexapro and Zoloft. I just hate admitting that I need something, it's like I want to be strong and tough and think it's just my hormones.. deep down I know it's more though. Know what I mean???? Thanks again. Lindsey

PS.... Did you notice weight gain or any bad side effects with either medication? How about your s_x drive?

I know what you mean. My family thinks that depression is "all in your head". I can't tell you how many times I've heard, "just stay positive", "just exercise more", etc. but none of that works for me. Plus, how can you really exercise enough while pregnant? I had all c-sections, so it was impossible to exercise for a long time afterward! And it was like a catch 22... when you are able to resume exercise... if you are depressed enough to not be able to even shower, how are you going to get it together enough to get yourself and LO(s) ready and out the door for a walk or something, ya know?? Especially with anxiety. I don't know how it affects you, but I can feel it creeping up on me again. I don't know why because I'm getting sleep, but it's there. The way I feel is jittery, like I've had too much caffeine, but at the same time not energetic enough or clear-headed enough to get much accomplished... if that makes sense! I really do think that sometimes it takes medication to get back to a functioning level and then take it from there and see if things get back on track enough to wean off of them. I agree... it is better for you and your son if you take the meds and get back to being happier and able to function. Let's see... I keep scrolling down to see what else you asked lol. Oh, I didn't really have any side effects from the meds while I was on them, but when I tried weaning off of Zoloft I got dizzy and things looked "wavy"... that lasted for 2 days... nothing horrible, just weird! I don't think it affected my s_x drive at all, but I'm not sure... my libido was less after the 2nd and way less after my 3rd, but I kind of think that was just from being busier and more tired during the day. Anyway, I hope you can find something that works real soon :-) ~Tammy~

A lot of women will say that its normal and everyone feels that way at some point.... but it isn't me before I had a child so I know it's more. I get anxious a lot of the times. At times I get a little compulsive and I have a hard time relaxing and letting things go then other times I just feel so down and so blue that I don't know what to do with myself. Even when I am with my husband or family or doing doing something fun there is this underlying sadness or something in me. I go to the doctor tomorrow and plan to talk more about it with him. Do you think I should wait closer to term to get on something? I am almost 33 weeks.... should I wait until 36 or 37 weeks to get on something.I want to eventually get to the point where I wont ever need anything... Depression runs in my family though and maybe that's part of it. Plus I have gained lots of weight. I am glad to know that you didn't have many side effects though. that scares me. Nursing was hard for me the first time around and I really want to stick with it and enjoy it this time.

My doctor waited to put me on the Zoloft until the last month, BUT I wasn't experiencing any depression/anxiety at that point, so they were just trying to give the meds time to "kick in" before delivery. I don't know the answer...I think I would have taken the meds at 33 weeks if I was having the depression... for what it's worth. That feeling is awful! I remember feeling like someone had stolen my personality and all ability to feel joy. I experienced the same thing as you... It was slightly better being around people, but not much, It was still like I was trapped in another world or something. I don't know...it's hard to describe, but, yeah, I definitely wasn't myself. i had a bout of depression when I was 14... I felt like I was trapped in a dark hole... and there was no real reason it happened (nothing traumatic, wasn't being teased at school or anything). Then I had a little bout when I moved to TX. for college (I'm from PA.), but I guess that was more just homesickness. OK, I'm rambling... I hope you can find some relief. I know it's hard for people to understand that haven't been there that it really is SUFFERING! And good luck with your b___stfeeding. I hope it goes more smoothly for you this time!

Ladies, you're not alone. I would have to say that my depression set in a few weeks after DD was born. Initailly, I lost a lot of weight, was feeling great and adjusted to parenting. Then out of nowhere I began to gain so much weight, no desire to bathe, no motivation to do anything, withdrew myself from family and friends, found my husband irritable and basically dispised him. I kept gaining, gaining and gainging. I felt incompetent and completey out of control of my life. I always thought that depression was in "one's head" but when I began to get consumed with all of these negative, uncontrolable feelings I finally sought help. I went to my doctor last week. DD is now 6.5 months. She immediately noticed a difference in me and prescribed me Lexapro. I am currently a 1st time SAHM, she believed that I needed to take a cla__s, have a regualr babysitter come in a few hours a week and participate in some mommy and me cla__ses. This is only the 5th day that I have taken Lexapro, and I dont know if its the placebo effect, but I feel like I am a lot calmer which doesnt drive me to the food. I have even lost a pound or two already. I have lived through PPD and know that it can take over your life, its needs to be attended to. Good luck ladies, I hope you all feel well.