Depression in Pregnancy

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I've been somewhat depressed throughout my pregnancy. (I have a long history of depression, too) I'm at 35 weeks 4 days. For the past few days, my mood has changed for the worse. I've started getting weepy and I keep having thoughts of taking my own life. My husband and mother are yelling at me because I'm not happy. I'm scared to tell anyone because I don't know what they'll do. Besides tell someone, is there any advice anyone has for me?

TELL SOMEONE! Talk to a doctor. Regular sleep and exercise help with depression, but you are also having major hormonal changes that are effecting you. Your depression has been going on for a while and is getting worse, you need to see a doctor and talk to someone. It would be advisable to tell your husband so he can understand why your behavior.

do some exercise.

listen to positive meditations on youtube.

get some sunshine as helps brain chemicals,

eat bananas, salmon, eggs, turkey as encourages serotonin chemical in brain.

read blogs on pregnancy depression as then you wont feel so alone in your experience.

I'm sorry this is happening to you. I know from watching other people how bad this can be.

Please don't feel that you're on your own or that it's your own fault you feel this way. If you do all the actions recommended to make you feel better (eat certain foods, go out in the sun, etc) and still don't feel much better, don't feel like you have failed. Life can be hard sometimes and you have to wait it out.

Depression is complex and it can take a very long time for you to fully recover. It's dogged me for nearly my whole life and I'm only starting to unravel it now.

I'm so sorry you're going through this. I'm sorry they're yelling at you. I found people did the most astonishingly unhelpful things during pregnancy and early baby days. But some people were really helpful, too. I never felt more alone. Your family need to support you, not tear you down, but I know it doesn't always work like that.

Do not underestimate the power of the hormones that are coursing through your blood right now. An episode of depression now doesn't mean that it's permanent. You do need to talk to someone and get some support in place for now and during the early baby days.

I do not know what to say about your suicidal ideation. That signals that you really need some help, but you need to be careful about how you present it. When I was at this stage, I worried about people taking away my baby and I wasn't as depressed as you. That may or may not have been rational thinking. Before you go to your next appointment, write down a list of things you want to say to your health care provider about how you're feeling. This always helped me actually be able to say things.

I really hope you get some help and support soon and it feels so unfair that you have to struggle for help when everything's a struggle (at least that's the way I've felt during periods of depression). I would suggest calling a helpline who may be able to refer you to other resources, but don't give your name.

Luckily my pregnancy goes better, but I already had depression in my life. The major thing is that you are accepting it. Not in the way of ignoring it but in the way as you accept an influencia. Yes, actually you have an illness, and that means that you need to care for it. And your relatives and partner ignoring it or shouting at you for it, will not make it go away. Just as you following their advice and ignoring it, would not make it go away, but in the opposite keep you from caring for you to get better again.

Be yourself aware that your moods can only be partly controlled by yourself. If certain hormons and chemicals are actually in a mess that makes you unable to feel happyness, then you can try on being happy as much as you want. On the other side, make yourself aware of that if you feel sometimes truly suicidal. Yes, actually it feels like hell and a s**t. But not because it IS like that, but because your chemic cocktails lets you feel it. And when the chemic cocktail will be alright again, you will as well feel better again. Try to busy your mind during such moments, as example by doing a hobby you normally enjoy. Accept that you have less energy during depression, so dont force yourself to do tons of things, only ending with being exhausted and so supporting to be more depressed. Give a f**k if the house is dusty, if you feel like doing a walk when the weather is fine. You are ill, so doing something that you think could actually help you, is far more serious then dusty houses.

If you already have depression for more then two weeks, then talk with professionals about it. Dont be afraid to do so, medical professional KNOW that pregnany is a huge hormonchange, and that this causes depressions. In my country it is normal to visit midwife-courses before birth, and that is something that they inform you as well, simply because it happens far more often then people think. That being normal, does not mean that they do not care for it, but that for them this is simply a typical problem that can occure during pregnancy, and that should be treated when becoming serious. (One day feeling sh***y because of hormonal change, is not the big prob, but around here you say, at least after two weeks it is serious and you definitly should talk to a medical professional about it. (Doctor/midwife) )

And maybe make your partner and mother aware, that you actually share parts of your chemistry with your kid. So if they whyever do not care for you, then at least maybe they could get in their mind, that it is actually as well helping the baby, when you feel better. And no, playing "happy actress" for your husband and mother, might be enough for them, but wont convince your baby, because it is actually linked with you, so there is no pretend-playing for it.