I never thought I enjoyed writing, it always seemed like a chore. I’m not sure why. I wasn’t a fan of English at school – maybe this was because we’d get asked to read out loud to the class. I was shy enough without the fear of embarrassing myself because when I read I find… Continue reading Writing
I found seeing my son very sick for the first time was a huge emotional struggle for me. With the additional sleep deprivation, from being up all night, it culminated into an emotional breakdown. It happened a few weeks before I was diagnosed with PND. I don’t think that was a coincidence. It’s heartbreaking to… Continue reading Seeing your baby sick for the first time
A technique I learnt early on, to help manage my depressing thoughts, was to simply – talk to my baby. Sounds too easy and like common sense but for me, someone of little words, it was something quite new. However, I found that by talking through my day, I would concentrate on the here and… Continue reading Baby talk
After talking with my family and making a call to Mothersafe I decided that starting anti-depressant medication was the best course of action for me. I knew that in order to get the most out of the talking therapy I needed to be as stable as possible. I was initially started on a very low dose.… Continue reading Starting medication
Phah! What joker came up with that line? Sleep is something I knew I’d get less of when I had a baby. The thing I didn’t know was how much sleep deprivation would mentally and physically effect me. I have always been a person that needs a lot of sleep. Pre-baby I used to always get at least… Continue reading I slept like a baby…
I was referred to a place called the Gidget Foundation in North Sydney in October 2015. The Gidget Foundation provides a free professional psychological support service for pregnant women and new parents suffering anxiety and depression. I was scheduled in for an appointment with a psychologist but had no idea what to expect. I didn’t know what a… Continue reading My first appointment with a psychologist
While doing some “homework” for my PND support group I started to look at the word mum. We were asked to draw something that represented our journey into motherhood and I started by doodling the word ‘mum’. It was while doing this I noticed the form of the letters appeared to illustrate the ups and downs… Continue reading The MUM wave
…how important “me time” is. Your baby’s wellbeing is directly linked to yours. So, taking care of yourself is not selfish but actually the opposite. I believe by nurishing yourself your baby will have a more positive experience of life and you will be better equipped to handle the crazy times that comes with a… Continue reading I wish someone had told me…
Kind of ironically, I was diagnosed with Postnatal Depression during Mental Health Week 2015. Things had come to a peak and I had to admit to my family that I wasn’t coping. (As if they hadn’t noticed me crying over the morning porridge). My son was 6 months old at the time. I was going… Continue reading Diagnosed with PND
…it’s been a whirlwind. I remember getting a congratulations card from my cousin after the birth of my son, with the words “welcome to the roller-coaster of being a mum”. This was the first time I was given a hint that things might be a bit bumpy. I wasn’t one of those women told horror… Continue reading My journey into motherhood…
PND Recovery 