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Anxiety/depression(meds)- planning a family

E12
Community Member

Hi

new here

I’m wanting to start a family or at least I think I am.

I have anxiety/depression diagnosed 9 years ago and have had treatment and medication since then.

My concern is my medication and pregnancy. Just saw a psychiatrist who said it’s best to stay in medication as it’s better for me to be stable than stressed while pregnant. I feel I will still be stressed about being on medication.

My thoughts are running wild with it all

Would love others experience on all this.

3 Replies 3

kanga_brumby
Blue Voices Member
Blue Voices Member

Dearest E12 as a person who is being treated with/for depression and having two great children. One who was bottle fed because she would not take to the breast. grrrr all good though. Second child was breast feed not a problem. As a parent it's far easier to breast feed than bottle deed all the measurements are done and correct. the milk is the right temperature the container is sterilized.

Oh yes the mother had the depression at the time mine came later farther and hubby to all in this story no angle.

Kanga

baet123
Community Member

Hi E12,

Welcome to the forums and it is great to have you here! Thank you so much for posting and sharing a bit about you and your journey with us. It takes a really brave and courageous person to post on forums and express their feelings/emotions to total strangers and I take my hat off to you!

I think that it is awesome that you would like to start a family soon and I am sure that the struggles which you have been through and the resilience you have built up will no doubt have you in good stead to raise a child and care for a dependant of yours. I would say that it is important for both you and your unborn child to be healthy, both physically and emotionally and their is much evidence to suggest a mother's emotions during pregnancy can have an impact on the unborn child and their cognitive and emotional development.

I would consider seeing another psychologist for a second opinion and your best bet would be to book an appointment with a obstetrician and discuss some of your concerns. I absolutely believe that an obstetrician is far more qualified to advise you on the effects antidepressants might have on an unborn child/fetus.

Hope this helps and I wish you all the best with your future plans.

Nick.

E12
Community Member

Thank you.

I just had appointments with a psychiatrist that is specialised in pre/post natal depression.

Just gave me a lot to think about.