Does postpartum get better/worse with each child?
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If you are asking about postpartum depression, then, not necessarily. If a mom had ppd after her first child, then more than likely she will be hit by it again, and possibly even worse after the next one.
If you are asking about general postpartum, as in the days after the baby is born, well, it can vary. Everyone is different... every birth experience is different... and every baby is different. Nobody can generalize and say that it's better or worse after the next baby is born.
With me... after having my son, it was quite difficult. I had a bit of ppd, but it didn't go into a full-blown mode, thankfully. I was exhausted as any new mom would be, but I was able to handle it pretty well, though my son had some colic and that was what made it rough.
After my daughter was born, I had a very severe case of ppd. Also, she was born with a cleft lip/palate, so I had a really rough time with feedings. We had a special bottle, and it took a while to get into synch with my little gal. It took an hour to feed her 1/2 an ounce at one point. I was literally drained, the exhaustion was an all-time high, and the ppd was spiraling. Plus, the fact that my little one would be undergoing many surgeries for the cleft was quite difficult to take in, to say the least. (She's now 5... has had 7 surgeries so far... and is doing well. :) )
Experiences will differ. Some will say that it's easier, some will say it's more difficult. It just all depends on the circumstances. :)
From my experience, it does get a little more tolerable with the second and subsequent children. You are generally a little more relaxed with the second child, know more about what your body needs to recover and how to get the rest you need to keep going. If it doesn't seem any easier, I'd encourage you to get help right away from your ob/gyn staff or your primary care physician. No need to spiral downward when there are medications and help a call away. Wishing you wellness.
I suffered from post partum depression with all three of my children. In my case, it did get worse with each child. I think the best thing for someone to do is pay close attention to the signs of it, and get help from the doctor if it continues to get worse.
I think postpartum depression is greatly influenced by how emotionally and physically supported a new mother feels. If she has help, and encouragement, and love around her, it is bound to be less severe. I never had much of any with either of my two so I had it pretty bad with both. I would like to think that if their dads had been there, or extended family, it would have been easier, esp. since both were cesareans. It took me a long time to stop crying with both of them. I think the 2nd one was worse because I could not believe it was happening again, it was very depressing (the being left to do it all alone part, not the baby part). So I would say surround yourself with positive, helpful supportive people and it is bound to make your hormonal transition much more smooth. If there are still problems and/or having that kind of support isn't there for you, find some good counseling (free or sliding scale) and/or a local respite center that will watch the baby when you feel overwhelmed. If you EVER feel like hurting the baby, seek help immediately! Get the baby to a safe place until you deal with those feelings. Don't assume drugs are the only answer to depression. Support and encouragement and practical help are what helps the most. Stay away from negative people. Join a mommy's group so you can commiserate about how stressful it all is and enjoy sharing the good parts of having a newborn. You'll feel much less alone.
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