For the first three months after giving birth, Michelle2 felt great, but then she began experiencing sleep issues and her mental health started to decline.
Transcript
She’s the oldest. She’s the oldest so yeah. She’s currently seven so it was once she was yeah, when she was three years old. She was born in September – or three months old sorry. Prior to this, prior to that I felt great. I was happy with this new little baby, and feeling really good, and being able to keep my life up and everything with my new baby. Then I started having sleep issues and that’s when my mental health started to decline.
Interviewer: Can you tell me a little bit about that? What you were feeling?
So it started out gradually, and at the time I was feeling like not enough for my child, and didn’t know what to do next. So how – that I wasn’t a great mother because I didn’t do all the things, even though I look back now and I think oh, wow I was doing over and above.
More from: Michelle 2
More content
- Coping with Perinatal Mental Health – Michelle2Exercise, getting outside and taking vitamin D made a huge difference for Michelle2.
- Medication and Treatment Approaches – Michelle2 (clip 2)Michelle2 finally slept once in hospital and on anti-psychotic medications.
- Medication and Treatment Approaches – Michelle2Michelle2 was reassured by her doctors that the medications were safe for breastfeeding.
- Seeking and Finding Reliable Information – Michelle2Using social media helped Michelle2 to find information and think about her own condition and how she was handling it.
- Work, Finances and Mental Health – Michelle2For Michelle2, not going back to work was not an option; she needed to work to maintain her mental health.
- Support from Family and Friends – Michelle2Michelle2's sister played an important role in making sure she received the right help after being discharged.
- Stigma and Feeling Judged – Michelle2Michelle2 didn't want to go to the hospital as she didn't want her coworkers and friends to find out.
- Symptoms – Michelle2Michelle2 experienced intrusive thoughts and continued to get increasingly worse until a psychosis set in.
- First Symptoms – Michelle2For the first three months after giving birth, Michelle2 felt great, but then she began experiencing sleep issues and her mental health started to decline.
- Before and During Pregnancy – Michelle2After mental health issues with her first pregnancy, Michelle2 was proactive during the next pregnancy.