Guest post on Netmums Blog

Hello lovely readers! Today I feel really proud of myself! For the first time since I started writing on this blog, I am featuring with a guest post on one of the biggest online parents websites in UK – Netmus.
It was a great opportunity to share my story about antenatal depression and bring awareness around this very sensitive subject.

If you want to read it you can pop over Netmums and read my post Depression in pregnancy – my story.

Thank you lots to Netmums and Kate for giving me this opportunity.

Later edit (6/9/2016) – Unfortunately my blog post doesn’t look as it used to so I took the liberty to publish it on my blog as well:

Depression in pregnancy

Today’s guest blog is from Otilia – a mum who writes honestly about her experience of antenatal depression. Otilia Stocks blogs at Romanian Mum In London. She moved to London 6 years ago when she fell in love and got married to a Yorkshireman called Adrian. They now have a 3 year old daughter called Kara and a baby girl due to arrive on the 1st of December.

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The Royal College of Midwifes and Netmums released a survey on Sunday which shows that antenatal depression is a very common illness that can develop into postnatal depression after birth. I am very happy that such a survey was done to raise awareness. It is important that a sensitive illness such as depression is approached fast as the consequences can be devastating.

Here is my story:

I think that more or less I was affected by depression my whole life. I was always a sad soul that needed down moments to recover and that sometimes cried for no apparent reason for the rest of the world.

Thinking back to the time when I was pregnant the first time, I think that even then I had signs of depression. But I kept myself busy with work commitments, until I was about 38 weeks pregnant, so I didn’t allow myself to acknowledge it that much.

It all hit me when I was diagnosed with postnatal depression a couple of months after I gave birth. I knew something was wrong with me but was afraid to admit it to the world. Because the doctor prescribed them, I took antidepressants. They helped but the biggest help was to talk about my depression on my blog. The depression got better with time. It was a very hard time for me and my family. Sometimes the relationship with my husband was strained because of it, but bit by bit we got over it.

Now I am pregnant again and because I had a history of depression on record at my local hospital my darling midwife recommended me to see a specialist mental health midwife. My discussion was so heartwarming and I found myself crying really early into the appointment. I opened my heart and it was the best thing I have ever done.

I didn’t know before but you can actually develop depression during pregnancy too – “antenatal depression”. When she mentioned that I might suffer with it, I knew that it all made sense. It is expected for pregnancy to bring sentiments of joy and happiness into a women’s life. However with so many hormones and expectations influencing a women’s mind, sometimes pregnancy can bring negative thoughts. This is what happened to me. I’m happy and excited but the majority of time I’m sad and scared. There are moments when I need to stop and have a good cry. There are moments when I’m angry because I feel the way I feel. Worries of the future are darkening my mind.

Now because I was made aware of the problem by my mental health midwife and diagnosed by the prenatal team with antenatal mediocre depression I know that there is someone there looking after me. I know that if I feel low and sad I can always call my mental health midwife for a chat. I choose not to take antidepressants before birth because I have a 3 year old daughter that needs attention and support – medication can make me feel so tired. Talking about my feelings is so much better. I feel that I have all the support that every women should have during pregnancy. I wish I had the same support during my first pregnancy and maybe that would’ve meant that my postnatal depression wouldn’t have been so bad.

Now with the support of the midwife and the prenatal team I know that my depression can be managed even though it might mean that I will have to start taking antidepressants straight after the birth.

I hope if you are there and pregnant and feel like me you speak out and talk to your midwife about it. It is best for you and your baby that you are healthy and strong and that applies to your mental health as well.

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On her blog Otilia writes about her life experience as a foreign mum in London and she shares recipes from her home country.

Here is the link to the p