PP with second (or onward) child

[Wiwa21]

Hi ladies! My son recently turned one and although I am certainly still keen for a bit of a break, I do more often start thinking and talking with my husband about subsequent children. I know that some of you (understandably) decide to not continue to have more children, whilst others of you do. I have read a few encouraging posts from ladies who managed to avoid a PP second time. Reading about the care planning, preventive medicine etc is really encouraging.

Still, chances are 50/50 for PP to reoccur and I was wondering whether anyone is willing and able to share their experience of a second PP with a subsequent child? What is that like? Is it a similar experience? Or are you perhaps a bit better off because you (and your loved ones) know what's going on and perhaps you get better and more adequate care?

Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts!

[Maria_at_APP Moderator]

Hi Wiwa21,

Welcome to the forum. I am so glad to read that some of the previous post about having a subsequent pregnancy at risk of pp have been useful to you.

My experience is from the perspective of someone for whom pp did not repeat (so far) however I am currently experiencing anxiety and depression after having my second baby last October. It is debilitating but at the same time I was able to recognize my mental state deteriorating sooner than when I suffered from depression after pp. Being under the perinatal mental health team already meant that I accessed medication and therapy thankfully very readily. Although the chances are high as you mention, 50/50 are the chances when there is no prevention plan in place, all the measures like medication, protecting sleep, therapy, birth plan, do lower the risk. Still as you say it is really valuable to learn from the experience of someone who went through pp a second time.

All the best in your future whatever you decide. Take care

[Wiwa21 in reply to Maria_at_APP]

Hi EmiMum, thanks for your reply. I’m sorry to hear you are suffering from anxiety and depression after your second one, although I guess it’s good news that you didn’t suffer another psychosis. I thought the chance was 50/50 regardless but it’s good to hear that an actual care plan will help reduce this chance. That’s reassuring and I have a great psychiatrists with whom I already have discussed my desire to have another child. I am def going to give it some more time though and will be reading up about it in the meantime. Still hoping someone is willing to share an experience in response to this post. Take care!

[IndieRat]

Hi! Interesting question, I have wondered this too. Just to throw something else out there… I come from a nutrition background. When I got ill one of my lecturers provided a lot of help, told my partner what to give me to eat/when and what supplements to give me/when. How to stave off meltdowns. It was really effective, and the mental health team were surprised at how quickly I recovered, having only ever taken sedatives as medication. On reflection, that I had PP was unsurprising. I was really sick during my entire pregnancy - lost a ton of weight - and when I could stomach something it wasn’t the nutritious food I needed. when your body is growing a baby it will take from you what it needs for the baby, and when it doesn’t receive it from food, it will take iron from your blood, calcium from your bones etc. Studies show the women’s brains do indeed shrink following pregnancy - because the baby needed DHA to grow its own brain, if you don’t provide enough by eating loads of oily fish it will take it from your brain instead!! Not only that, you are potentially entering a second pregnancy in an already depleted state. I don’t want a second child, but in your position I would see a nutritionist (a functional medicine practitioner is best) and ensure that my body was on top form before trying again. If this is out of your budget, I’d highly recommend the book “the postnatal depletion cure” by Oscar Serallach which will give you some good starting points. Best wishes!

[Wiwa21 in reply to IndieRat]

Hi IndieRat, thanks for your reply. Interesting angle you take on nutrition and depletion of the body/brain. I am certainly interested to read a bit about that and make sure I prepare my body as much as possible! Thanks