Feeling Really Down, tell me it gets better!!

[WelshOneEmma]

So DS was born 3 weeks early and was induced (due to waters going). I had to stay in the hospital 48 hours due to my thyroid issues (Graves disease) and then when I got home i caught my daughters cold, which was awful. We have had a really bad virus going round and I felt awful, had a really bad cough (I was peeing myself I coughed so hard), headaches, sickness etc on top of the normal post baby stuff.

I thought I would start to feel better, its been nearly 4 weeks but I find I am feeling worse. Not so much the sickness as thats pretty much gone, but I seem to have no patience with anyone.

My daughter has just turned 2 and is really pushing things, plus has decided now is the time to make as much mess as possible. Its wet here, so of course the dog is dragging as much mud as possible through the house. there are toys every where due to Christmas and DDs birthday - there is no room to bloody move.

The baby is feeding constantly and won't settle unless on me, so nights are becoming a nightmare.

I am just so fed up and pissed off. I could quite happily walk away and leave them for the day today. Hubby is trying his hardest to help out, which makes me feel worse.

Please tell me it gets easier with 2?!

 

[xQuinnx]

Hi I can't add much in terms of second baby but I felt the same with my daughter (she's 3 months now) and whilst all my friends who had babies were feeling better u was feeling worse! It did start to lift about 6 weeks though. Hope you feel better soon, sounds incredibly hard being induced, being ill, normal baby stuff and a 2 year old! x

 

[WelshOneEmma]

Well to add to the fun, I now have a REALLY upset tummy - to the point of where I can't leave the house. i feel awful. Stabbing pains in my belly and feeling sick constantly, being sick occasionally and so tired. Tal was feeding every 2 hours last night, every 3 if we give him formula. Everyone is saying he's not getting enough from my milk - is that the case?

 

[aimee-lou]

Ok I think there's a couple of things at play here.

1 is LO - you have JUST had your baby and he's still tiny. He will be getting enough from your milk, it's just that formula is thicker/more filling due to it being from cows milk. That's why he goes longer. Get hubby to give him a bottle in the night so you can get a good 4-5 hour stretch. He'll then wake up nice and refreshed too and more likely to have a good day. Sleep breeds sleep for both of you.

2 is you need to rest. You're already weak from birth with your body trying to recover from that. A cold/virus will leave your immune system perished. You have a thyroid condition which affects your immune system and stops the absorption of key vitamins when you're run down compounding the issue. If you're sick too, you'll get tired more quickly. My advice would be to order in enough oven ready stuff for the next few days, and enough lemsips and tins of soup to sink a ship. Go to bed, with your baby there next to you, and let hubby do what he needs to do to make sure your DD is ok. Plenty of tea/fluids and a boxset and sleep! I would also consult your Dr once the sickness has passed. Get a blood test to check your thyroid levels and everything else and ensure you're taking a good regimen of multi-vits to keep up your strength.

3 - if you're in prime baby-blues territory. Be aware of your own health hun. You have a right to be well and happy, and to enjoy your children. If you don't feel yourself then get checked out. Try getting some fresh air and exercise everyday to help you recover and feel better. It must be hard this time of year with 2 (My 2 youngest were summer babies) but just getting out for 10 minutes will help.

Hope you feel better soon xx

 

[WelshOneEmma]

Ok I think there's a couple of things at play here.

1 is LO - you have JUST had your baby and he's still tiny. He will be getting enough from your milk, it's just that formula is thicker/more filling due to it being from cows milk. That's why he goes longer. Get hubby to give him a bottle in the night so you can get a good 4-5 hour stretch. He'll then wake up nice and refreshed too and more likely to have a good day. Sleep breeds sleep for both of you.

2 is you need to rest. You're already weak from birth with your body trying to recover from that. A cold/virus will leave your immune system perished. You have a thyroid condition which affects your immune system and stops the absorption of key vitamins when you're run down compounding the issue. If you're sick too, you'll get tired more quickly. My advice would be to order in enough oven ready stuff for the next few days, and enough lemsips and tins of soup to sink a ship. Go to bed, with your baby there next to you, and let hubby do what he needs to do to make sure your DD is ok. Plenty of tea/fluids and a boxset and sleep! I would also consult your Dr once the sickness has passed. Get a blood test to check your thyroid levels and everything else and ensure you're taking a good regimen of multi-vits to keep up your strength.

3 - if you're in prime baby-blues territory. Be aware of your own health hun. You have a right to be well and happy, and to enjoy your children. If you don't feel yourself then get checked out. Try getting some fresh air and exercise everyday to help you recover and feel better. It must be hard this time of year with 2 (My 2 youngest were summer babies) but just getting out for 10 minutes will help.

Hope you feel better soon xx

Thanks. Last night was slightly better. He's still feeding every 2 hours. We did give him some formula to get him to go longer, and he went 2.5 hours! I dont know if its a growth spurt or something else, will be keeping an eye on it. I spent a lot of yesterday sleeping as I have had a headache for 2 days that went go - that helped a lot so have been able to get up with DD at 6am today (hubby is knackered) as baby was up having a feed as it was.

I find I am now struggling to eat. I dont feel hungry and when I do eat it makes me sick. All I had yesterday was a bowl of cereal and half a bacon sandwich. I have run out of thyroxine so will pop to the Dr's today to get a new prescription, hoping that will help.

I must admit, PND has crossed my mind. I didn't get it with DD so no idea if what I am feeling is normal baby blues/tiredness, or a little bit more? I find I am torn between continuing BF and going to formula (and all the usual guilt associated with that), plus I am so tired and missing out on time with Emilia, so find I am resenting Tal for that, then feeling bad about that. Emilia is being dumped in front of the TV far too much so feeling guilty about that (hoping it will be easier when baby groups start up) and then feeling guilty that hubby is taking on so much. I know they are his kids too and he's happy to help, but his revision for his Sgts exam has taken a back seat and I know he's worried about it. Plus I am not looking after the animals as well as I usually do, so just feeling like a useless person all round! I will talk to my HV tomorrow (although a little worried I will be labelled a bad mum/one to watch).