Depressed early in pregnancy ... is this normal?

[Anonymous]

I'm almost 8 weeks pregnant and have been feeling really down and depressed over the past few days - I can't seem to shake it. I thought I'd be joyfull and walking on air at this point as this is a much-wanted pregnancy and DH and I tried for almost a year before conceiving. Instead, I feel terribly sad. It's to the point where I'm having a hard time focusing on work and am not interested in social interaction. I'm anxious and guilty that I feel this way. I should be jumping for joy and am instead fighting to stay optimistic and positive.

I don't have a history of depression. The last time I felt this way was immediately after my daughter was born and I had a case of the baby blues (it never developed into full PPD). Is this just the hormones at play? Anyone else encounter this?

[Anonymous]

I'm 12 weeks today and yes, I felt the same way from around week 6.5 - 11.5. I just finally really embraced it within the last few days. I was scared, my moms health is very poor and worry some to me, I felt alone because not many people knew at that point. I was completely exhausted amd lacked any and all energy. My hormones were causing so much up and down in my emotions - but mostly down. I had weird feelings all the time those first few weeks and felt guilty because I wasn't jumping for joy!

I do have a history with bouts of depression. But this was terrible. I didn't really tell anyone anything besides saying that I was a little overwhelmed and scared. That's really what I felt.

Hang in there OP, I hope that once you near the end of your first tri and you get your energy back you will feel better. If not, talk to your doctor. I work for the Children's hospital and am around a lot of young, highly educated women (many new moms) often. One told me something that really stood out. She felt that every pregnant woman should be in therapy. Wether it was just in jest or partially a joke - it spoke to me and I agreed. It's a lot of emotional ups and downs.

Don't be too hard on yourself. Try to enjoy the pregnancy as much as you can and when you are down try to go for a walk to do something that makes you happy. I found that on nice days/evenings I would go for walks in the neighborhood and I always felt better. Best of luck to you and congratulations on your pregnancy!

[Anonymous]

First trimester is really hard. I definitely felt that way first tri - and although I have a history of depression, this was notably different. I think it's the combination of hormones, exhaustion, and the nerves/uncertainty that come with first trimester. Plus, this time around I had the worries about how having a 2nd baby would impact our first. Like you we'd been trying for awhile, around 9 months, so it's not as if I hadn't thought about it before. But it was all so much more real. And the hormones do not help.

Give yourself a bit of a break. Having a baby is something to be joyful about. Being pregnant leads to having a baby, but it's not always (or often) jumping for joy exciting. In fact, it's kind of a pain in the rear. Totally worth it, but I'm 32 weeks along and I keep thinking if I could be pregnant just 12 hours out of each day, I'd love it. I love feeling the baby kick, but I would really love to be able to move as easily as I usually would, eat or drink whatever I wanted, and not worry that any false moves will give me a charlie horse that'll hurt for days.

[fosfam]

I'm at 9w6d and am just now emerging from signs of depression early in the first trimester. There is so much to be concerned about, plus our preggo brains may be hindering your productivity at work. I just felt really bad at everything I was doing. The exhaustion didn't help, nor did the fact that my DH really had no idea the DEPTH of my fatigue and would try to help by suggesting I get off the couch and go running or to the gym! Useful most of the time, but definitely not in my first-trimester fog.

What helped me start to get out of it (and I'm not sure whether I totally am or not) is basically just realizing that what will happen will happen and I need to keep plugging along with life so that, when this baby is introduced to the world, he or she will have a great start and two loving, happy parents.

[Anonymous]

I've been depressed in the first trimester of both pregnancies OP. It's awful. I agree with pp, just keep plugging along, I usually feel much better in the second trimester.

[Anonymous]

I've been feeling this way too. Super depressed, anxious, useless, fatigued. I'm 9 weeks now and hate the fact that I'll probably feel this way for at least another month.

[Anonymous]

I felt that way in my 1st trimester too. Being totally exhausted/feeling useless all the time and worrying about making it to my 2nd trimester took its toll. Plus, I was in my 1st trimester in the middle of winter, so seasonal affective disorder may have impacted too. Make sure to get outside and take in some sunlight. Hopefully, you will feel much better in your 2nd trimester.

[Anonymous]

First trimesters can be tough especially since you have so much progesterone. For this pregnancy I felt depressed in the first tri better in the second and back to being depressed on the third. Talk to your doctor about it though because antepartum depression puts you at risk for ppd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:First trimesters can be tough especially since you have so much progesterone. For this pregnancy I felt depressed in the first tri better in the second and back to being depressed on the third. Talk to your doctor about it though because antepartum depression puts you at risk for ppd.

I had a mix of anxiety and depression in the first and third trimesters, too. I think it's just how I respond to hormonal changes.

[Anonymous]

Some book (Pregnancy Sucks?) refers to the first tri as "progesterone poisoning." i used to get severe premenstrual symptoms so knew id be in for mood changes due to progesterone, and i was. for me it went on a bit longer than the progesterone/first tri symptoms, and what finally got me out of it was going to a conference and basically walking several miles a day.