Hello Everyone!

[Aythoma]

My name is Amy. I am 51 and I went through post partum a few months after the birth of my fourth child. I was miles away from anyone I knew except my husband and my children. I went home too soon after giving birth. I practically insisted on going home early to my demise. I felt I needed to be home to help take care of my other three children. I went through a very, very difficult time and tried to hide what I was feeling until I lost control. I went to the apartment manager and told her I was not having the right thoughts and she called an ambulance. My children I left in her care.

After I went through a few days in a clinic and come home I found out my husband was notified at work and had to go collect each of our children from various neighbors in the apartment complex. I should have stayed in the hospital until the nurses felt confident in me being ready to go home. I did make it through everything with the help of my psychiatrist, husband, friends, and my husbands family although I had just met them; we got to know each other REAL well right from the start!

I have since graduated from college with a degree in psychology. I wanted to understand why I went through what I did so many years ago. My degree is in research and I do not have a license to counsel. I want to be there for others who are going through post partum. I cannot offer professional advice but I am here for moral support. Not because of my degree but because I love you and know what you are going through because I have first hand experience! I still do not have all the answers but one thing for sure we must take care of our health after having a baby and not expect too much from ourselves. We need time to heal before resuming our normal activities. If I can be of help in anyway please let me know.

[Jenny_at_APP Partner]

Hi Amy,

Thank you for posting, it’s great to ‘meet’ you here

Thank you for offering your support, it’s so good to share experiences here and hear how others have come through this horrible illness.

My PP was 5 and a half years ago now. The memories aren’t at the forefront now like they were for a long time but they are still so clear to recall, do you find the same those years further on? I’ve always found that strange, time passes and I don’t think about it as often but when I do it’s as clear as it ever was.

It must have been so hard going through PP with three other children to worry about. We do indeed try and do far too much as new mums, I completely agree with you. Definitely super women to get through it

Thanks again for posting.

Best wishes,

Jenny

[Jenskygazer Volunteer]

Hi Amy

Welcome to the forum! Thanks so much for your message and for sharing your experience and offering support. It’s great to hear from you. You must have coped with so much as a mother of four.

It sounds so good that you’ve studied to work through it and learn more. There’s so many questions around it and so much ‘unknown’ i’m Sure it must have been very rewarding to study psychology afterwards and I know for me I find it helps to write to somehow process it, outlets for processing and working through stuff are so important I think.

My daughter’s four, I had PPP a bit later than is often the case, when she was 9 months. I’ve found sharing experiences here on the forum and with APP to be so helpful. You’re so right about taking care and not expecting too much, I find that’s true both early on and also as a kind of guide for later on too!

Thanks so much for writing and sending very best wishes to you,

Jen X

[Kat_at_APP Volunteer]

Hi Amy and welcome to the forum! It’s so good to hear your story and what you’ve gone on to do in terms of studying. It’s amazing how surviving an illness like PP can lead to a huge interest in mental health/psychiatry / psychology... for myself I’ve carved out a bit of a role in MH campaigning and educating. Great to “meet” you on here and wishing you a very merry Christmas

Kat x