I first found out that I was expecting my first daughter in 1999 I was only 18 I was very scared, I remember telling my mum that I was pregnant and asked her what should I do? She did not say anything she just looked at me with disgust.
November 2000 I woke up in a pool of blood and in pain, when I finally got to the hospital I was checked over by the Obstetrician, within 10 minutes of arriving at the hospital I was being prepped for emergency surgery. I remember grabbing the nurses' hand and begged her to stay with me as I was crying and terrified, no one had told me what was going on and my family would come to the hospital to support me. I was lucky enough that the nurse stayed by my side even through the surgery.
The next day the nurse came and checked on me and my new baby and saw that I was not in a good headspace, she went and found someone to come and speak with me. I was quickly diagnosed with having Postpartum Depression. The same morning the doctor came in and prescribed me with anti depression medication. I began to take the medication and unfortunately within a few days of taking the medication I began to have a bad reaction to the medication, I started having suicidal thoughts and I did not want to go near my baby. I knew this was not right so I went to my local doctor. The doctor suggested I changed medication I was on to another anti depressant, I asked him was there another way I could beat depression? He said there are some natural therapies that may help if I was unwilling to take prescribed medication. I went and saw a natural therapist who had made up an individual plan for me. I was fortunate that the therapies I used for me worked, within six months of being diagnosed with depression I went back to my doctor and received the news I so desperately wanted to hear, I no longer had depression.
What I learnt from this experience is not every depression case is the same, and not all medications work the same way for everyone.
Tips to avoid struggling with depression.
• Have a good support network, such as friends or family.
• If you do not know you have depression and you find yourself crying not knowing why, tell someone especially your doctor.
• Ask people for help, it does not make you a bad parent quite the opposite. If you receive help then you are helping yourself and your baby.
• Take time out for yourself everyday, if you are happy then your baby will be happy too.
November 2000 I woke up in a pool of blood and in pain, when I finally got to the hospital I was checked over by the Obstetrician, within 10 minutes of arriving at the hospital I was being prepped for emergency surgery. I remember grabbing the nurses' hand and begged her to stay with me as I was crying and terrified, no one had told me what was going on and my family would come to the hospital to support me. I was lucky enough that the nurse stayed by my side even through the surgery.
The next day the nurse came and checked on me and my new baby and saw that I was not in a good headspace, she went and found someone to come and speak with me. I was quickly diagnosed with having Postpartum Depression. The same morning the doctor came in and prescribed me with anti depression medication. I began to take the medication and unfortunately within a few days of taking the medication I began to have a bad reaction to the medication, I started having suicidal thoughts and I did not want to go near my baby. I knew this was not right so I went to my local doctor. The doctor suggested I changed medication I was on to another anti depressant, I asked him was there another way I could beat depression? He said there are some natural therapies that may help if I was unwilling to take prescribed medication. I went and saw a natural therapist who had made up an individual plan for me. I was fortunate that the therapies I used for me worked, within six months of being diagnosed with depression I went back to my doctor and received the news I so desperately wanted to hear, I no longer had depression.
What I learnt from this experience is not every depression case is the same, and not all medications work the same way for everyone.
Tips to avoid struggling with depression.
• Have a good support network, such as friends or family.
• If you do not know you have depression and you find yourself crying not knowing why, tell someone especially your doctor.
• Ask people for help, it does not make you a bad parent quite the opposite. If you receive help then you are helping yourself and your baby.
• Take time out for yourself everyday, if you are happy then your baby will be happy too.
