Browsing Tag

Depression during pregnancy

Chronic Depression And Deciding To Become A Parent

Posted on May 3, 2019

Deciding to have children is a tough decision at the best of times. Deciding to start a family when you have chronic depression and anxiety, and take regular medication is another thing altogether. Years ago, I read an article in The Guardian that discusses the July 2014 guidelines that were issued to GPs by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE). These guidelines give doctors advice on how they should treat female patients who suffer from depression. In particular, it recommends that…

A Thank You Letter To My Community Midwife

Posted on May 5, 2018

Dear Ruth, my Community Midwife I’ve been meaning to write this letter to you since Little Mister H was born. Yet there never seems to be the time. But today is International Day of the Midwife. So today is the right time to write a proper thank you letter to you. Because I’m so thankful and truly grateful for everything you did for me during my pregnancy with Little Mister H. I honestly don’t think I would have got through…

Baby Loss Mental Health

Suffering from Prenatal Anxiety and Depression following recurrent miscarriage #PNDAW17

Posted on September 7, 2017

A photograph of a woman and her young son (he is about a year old) sitting on a wooden dragon in a park - she is looking down at him and he is smiling - but during her pregnancy with him she suffered from Prenatal Depression and Anxiety after experiencing recurrent miscarriage - Suffering from Prenatal Anxiety and Depression Following Recurrent Miscarriage #PNDAW17 - Mrs H's favourite things

This week is the second annual Pre and Postnatal Depression Awareness Week (#PNDAW17) run by the fantastic charity, the PANDAS Foundation. And this year the week is focused on raising awareness of prenatal mental health conditions. So I wanted to share my story of suffering from prenatal anxiety and depression after experiencing recurrent miscarriages. My story of Prenatal Anxiety and Depression At risk of Perinatal Depression and Anxiety Sadly, Mr H and I always knew that my pre-existing and long-term mental…

Motherhood

The Sadness Of Not Being Able To Breastfeed My Babies – My Breastfeeding Story

Posted on August 4, 2017

A sepia tinted photograph of a newborn baby girl having skin to skin and lying in her Mummy's arms - The Sadness of Not Being Able to Breastfeed My Babies - Mrs H's favourite things

This week is World Breastfeeding Week 2017. A week dedicated to promoting, protecting and supporting breastfeeding. I agree with it wholeheartedly. But this week has made me sad. Because I still have issues about the fact that I was not able to breastfeed my babies. Little Miss H is now four years old. But even after all this time, I feel guilt that I was not able to breastfeed. And I feel a tug in my heart every time I…

Mental Health Motherhood

Perinatal Mental Health #PNDAW16: It’s Okay Not To Be Okay

Posted on September 11, 2016

A faded photograph of a young woman looking wistful as the sun sets in a tropical setting behind her - Includes the title "Perinatal mental health #PNDAW16 - It's okay not to be okay" - Mrs H's favourite things

Today marks the end of the first ever Pre & Post Natal Depression Awareness Week #PNDAW16 run by PANDAS (the UK's leading pre and post natal depression charity). In light of this, I wanted to share my story of perinatal mental health. My experience of perinatal mental illnesses may be slightly unusual as I have suffered from depression for almost 17 year; most of my adult life. At times, my mental health has been terrible. At other times it has been…

Motherhood

Little Mister H at one month old

Posted on August 14, 2016

A faded photograph of a one month old baby boy wearing a Bamboo Bunny Romper from Bambini & Me and lying on a white blanket covered in tiny yellow, green and grey stars_ with the title "Little Mister H at one month old" - Mrs H's favourite things

Little Mister H is one month old. It is hard to believe that our sweet boy has been in our lives for only one month. I can't remember what life was like before Little Mister H was part of our family. I was sad that I never completed a baby book or made a record of Little Miss H's development. So I have decided to record how Little Mister H changes from month to month. Starting at the very beginning with Little…

Baby Loss Mental Health

When pregnancy is a struggle

Posted on June 15, 2016

It is difficult to admit that something you have yearned for desperately has been a struggle. Ever since Little Miss H has been a few months old, I have wanted a second baby. The miscarriages that followed just made my desperation for that child more intense. Each loss took us further away from our longed for second child. But each loss made me more determined that we needed to become a family of four.…

Baby Loss Mental Health Motherhood

How To Survive Pregnancy After Baby Loss

Posted on March 10, 2016

A photograph of a sunset in the background with a dandelion in the foreground and its seeds blowing in the wind- How To Survive Pregnancy After Baby Loss - Mrs H's favourite things

Pregnancy after baby loss is a time of mixed emotions. There are many moments of happiness and joy. But there’s also anxiety and fear. For any woman, who is pregnant after a miscarriage or stillbirth, there is one thing that she wants to know. How to survive pregnancy after baby loss. Back in November 2015, I discovered that I was pregnant for the sixth time in 3 years. We’re lucky to have a beautiful little girl. But we’ve also experienced…