I just wanted to tell you that it is possible to have another child without relapse.
When my daughter was born back in December 2008, I started to be ill straight after giving birth and was put in a psychiatric 5 days later and stayed there for 1 month. I felt very depressed as the psychosis eased up. I didn't sought help for depression as I was worried about being put back in hospital and having to leave my daughter behind.
I got better but it took me a year to feel like myself again.
In September 2010, as I was feeling pretty good and was stating to plan a new child, my brother in law committed suicide. I didn't knew him well but during the depression that followed the psychosis, I had very strong feelings of hurting myself and had thought about suicide. The griminess of the wake (a full Irish wake with the dead person in the house for 3 days), the sorrow of the family.... A lot of stressful factors which made me unwell again. I had a second episode of psychosis and had to be hospitalised.
When I got pregnant again in 2012, I was very worried about PPP. I knew that having got sick with psychosis a second time upped my chances of getting sick again once my second child would arrive. To prevent this I put a lot of things in place. I did mindfulness with a psychologist I got my psychiatrist and my obstetrician to get a plan of action together. My husband was authorised to stay with me at nights after birth so I could sleep and not start a pattern of insomnia. And I got on medication ,300g quitiapine, straight after birth.
And I didn't get sick. My son and daughter are well and so are me and my husband. I count my blessings and wish to anyone planning another child the same luck.
Thank you for the support of this forum, it is very helpful.
Tenrob
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tenrob
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Thanks so much for coming back to the forum and sharing your story. I think when we look back (and my story goes way back) we are amazed at how strong we have been to fully recover. I had PP a second time but that was so long ago and things have changed for the better.
Thanks for sharing. Could you describe more about your second episode. Like warning signs, was it as long recovery wise as the first time, how long were u on meds. I have been told I could have a second relapse unrelated to birth. Thank you
My second psychosis came as suddenly as the first one. We were planning our first holiday since my daughter s birth. I just had involved the union from my job in order to keep my work part time. And me and my husband were speaking about planning another child.
That's when we got a phone call from Dublin. My brother in law had just committed scucide. We took a plane the next day and cancelled the holiday .
Everyone was distrought. It came out of nowhere.
I took a lot on myself to help out, mind my daughter. Looking back, I did too much. I wasn't sleeping, was trying to be the most helpful I could be.
The day after the funeral I broke down.
I had delusions, a blurred vision, insomnia, panic attacks. All in the space of 5 days. From nothing to completely gone.
I felt dreadful. My in laws had just lost a son and a brother and they had to look after me. The airplane journey back to the UK was the worst ever.
back home the first thing we did was to go to I and E. After waiting 7h ( weekend + mental illness means long waiting times) they thought I was well enought and sent me home.
The next day after 7 days no sleep and me completely psychotic, an ambulance was called. At that stage I was getting violent. The police was called for.
I have no memories of my first few days in psychiatric ward. I stayed there for 2 1/2 months. I was put on quitiapine and stayed on medication for almost 2 years.
The worst about this episode was that my husband had lost his brother and I wasn't there for him whatsoever. I didn't believe it was psychosis and didn't want to be sick. It was hard but we got though.
Hi tenrob, thank you so much for sharing your story & letting us know that with the right planning & preparation, you went on to have a second child without any PP - lovely! I think it'll be a great comfort to many who are thinking about another child.
I'm so sorry about the awful circumstances around your second episode, you've been so strong coming through all that & you shouldn't feel any guilt at all about not being there for hubby as much as you'd have liked - it wasn't your fault, you couldn't do anything about it, you were ill. I like when you say, 'It was hard but we got though'. It's great to focus on having had a second child without PP recurring, I love hearing stories that give all us PP mums hope, thanks again & well done you!
Hello my daughter in law has pp and is in a psychatric hospital waiting to go to Mother and Baby unit. Did you go to a mother and baby unit? We are hoping she will be moved next week after a week in the psyc hospital has anyone done this in that time span you know of.
No, I was in a general psychiatric ward whilst my daughter was in neonatal unit. She was premature.
But when she was realized, there was talk about me going to a mother and baby unit but with family support it had not happened. Looking back, it might have been beneficial to go but no, I didn't go there .
All the best for your daughter in law. She and your son will need a lot of help and support for the next few months.
A great story about keeping well after another baby, although I was sorry to hear about your episode after bereavement. It goes to show that having another child doesn't have to be a negative experience and it is possible to keep well and away from PP - I did aswell, had my 2nd in 2013 after PP in 2009 and life is great, I know how lucky I am!
I was pleased to hear that you stayed well after a second child but sadden that you had another PP episode after your brother in laws sudden traumatic unexpected death.
It sounds for you that having a plan of how you would cope made quite a difference along with medication. I was interested in the fact that you did Mindfulness ( something I try to do regularly too now) and this helped.
I managed to stay well after a second episode too but had progesterone, a home birth so lots of things to make the second experience different. Less stress from being in my own environment and feeling empowered to be a partner in my own care. Something I did not feel at all after my first episode of PP.
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