Pregnancy and BPD

Ok. So yes, there is a down side to me getting pregnant. And I realize that. I’m not stupid or naive. Namely, as my mom so eloquently put it, what about my wonderful meds?

Clearly I can’t take them while pregnant.

Pregnancy makes any woman crazy hormonal. So I’m already going to be a little iffy even if I was on my meds. That’s just how pregnancy works.

Here’s the deal though. I’m a better person when I’m pregnant. At least that was true the last 2 times. The only truly scary part is the postpartum depression.

Last time I was pregnant I was doing so fine through the pregnancy and the immediate months after that I refused to start the meds back up because I thought I didn’t need them. Then around 6 months after Luke was born, I crashed hard. Which is about the same time I crashed with Thomas. Postpartum depression doesn’t have to be immediately after birth. Just within the first year. So lesson learned. I’ll get back on my meds immediately following birth and I’ll be fine.

Is this true with every pregnant woman who as BPD? I don’t really know. Some women choose to stay on their meds. And depending on the meds they are on, that might be fine. It’s not really known.

For me it’s risk verses benefit. The possible risk to the baby verses the benefit of the meds. I’m ok enough off the meds while pregnant that it isn’t worth any possible risk to the baby.

My anti-psychotic is a known risk. So that I’d be off regardless. Some anti-depressants are considered possibly safe. There is no for sure answer with most of the meds. They are still in the process of studying them. I might be able to stay on my sleep aid. Or possibly switch to another.

A good night’s sleep is half the battle with mood disorders. And a proper diet and eating habits: fresh fruit and veggies, good lean proteins. Also, exercise is very important. These three things combined make for a powerful mood stabilizer/anti-depressant.

The good news is I get plenty of sleep when I can sleep. While pregnant I always crave fresh fruit and veggies. I’ll also spend the summer in the pool and the fall and spring walking. I don’t know what I’ll do during the winter months, but I’ll figure it out.

So yes, while every case of BPD is different, in my case I’ll be fine off my meds for 9 months while pregnant.

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