Wednesday, April 6, 2011

I'm Back!

Wow, hard to believe I went 4 weeks without blogging!  Where have I been?  I'll explain!

The last year has been a very tough one.  God has definitely given us some enormous blessings (a home and a sweet new daughter and safety and health and grace and mercy and all that really great stuff!) but we've had lots of stresses.  If you've been reading here you already know that.


I've felt less energetic and less motivated since Katrielle's birth but I thought it merely had to do with having 4 kids, or homeschooling, or having tons to do, or the holidays and company, or the many trials and sad things going on in people around me. 


But after Katri got Influenza A and we ended up with a week of very little sleep (including 3 nights where I was up the entire night and all day with her barking like a seal and struggling to breathe) it's like my body just broke.  Trying to get rest to catch up and trying to sleep in the guest room and trying to take vitamins, eat healthier, and lose baby weight didn't help me recover.  Trials that would come into close friends lives would crush me, the constant mess of the kids would cause me to fall to the floor weeping uncontrollably and I felt unable to deal with their constant neediness and need for discipline.  I was becoming an angry and sad mom.  I lost interest in blogging, sewing, scrapbooking, and even hanging out with friends.  I had very little energy and patience.  I struggled to even just keep up with the simplest regular household chores.  After talking with those who have "been there" and praying much for God's help and direction, I knew I needed to see my doctor.  I'm not sure if Dr. is her official title, but she specializes in Women's Health and Nutrition and runs her own women's clinic in town.  We knew I needed some professional help as I was struggling so much just to get through the day.  At first my doctor tried an experiment with an all-protein diet and nutrients and hormone cream to see if I responded well.  She also ran full bloodwork on me.   After much talking with my doc and going over my lab work, she concluded that I have very low hormone levels, and very low Vitamin D levels, which can cause depression.  We worked out a nutritional plan, which is very similar to what I've read here, and a plan for some temporary low-dose medication to help me recover from Post Partum Depression while my body flushes out toxins and tries to become more balanced again.

I feel so wonderful now, and it's ironic that I'm losing more "baby weight" eating meats, butter, regular cheeses, drinking whole milk, etc. than I was in the previous weeks when I was dieting and eating low-fat everything.

I'll share more here as God leads in the hope that it will encourage and help those of you who read here.

Blessings to you blog reader friends!

13 comments:

Sheila said...

I am so glad you got help! I had post-partem depression after my first daughter but didn't recognize it until it was over. I so wish that I had done as you did and gotten some help. Blessings to you! I'm glad you are feeling better.

Feliz4life said...

I am so glad you are feeling better...and that you are back!

the momma said...

I am so happy to hear you are feeling better!!! I finally took my own advice and made an appt, too.

Thia said...

I'm glad that you are starting to feel better.
Considering the fact that I've been reading your posts/updates and agreeing, thinking "this must be life after baby #4...it's normal" Now you're telling me it's not...

Lea said...

I had severe vitamin D defficiency and boy does it effect so much! Battled mild post-partum too for a bit (didn't realize it until after though). No fun there either!

Glad you figured out what was going on and that you're getting help! Such a blessing!

Lea

The Three 22nds said...

good to have you back!

Lesley said...

Welcome back and glad you're starting to feel better! I'll keep praying for continued progress! And enjoy your amazing new camera!!!!

Sarah Christensen said...

Yay Lindsey! So great to hear you are doing well. I've been experimenting with the same diet change over the past year and found it to be very effective. High quality fats with the protein really do help improve the mood, energy, metabolism, etc. and they keep the nursing babe happy and growing. Check out similar articles, like the one you mentioned on adrenal fatigue, at cheeseslave.

Heather said...

So nice to hear from you, Linds! Glad things are looking up--God is good. I'll continue praying for you!

Randall and Rachel Beita said...

Praise God that you are feeling better!! I have missed you but know there are seasons of rest.

During this pregnancy I am more tired than I have ever been so I know what you are going through. I crash every day to nap with my 2 year old as I can not even think, eat or do anything if I don´t. I am going to read the information in your link.

Christina said...

I found your blog through Money Saving Mom. I can relate with this post as I suffered/am suffering with PPD. I would love to hear more about your diet changes and anything else you have found helpful! Thank you! I am on medication for it and have found it immensely helpful, but I do suffer from it at times. I would love to find a more natural approach to dealing with it.

Anonymous said...

I am so glad that you shared your story. Looking back, I do believe that I suffered from PPD after the birth of my first child. I had no idea. I thought that I was just weak or a failure. I just couldn't snap out of it. It can be a dark, lonely place. However, I do believe that God helped me; although I didn't understand what was happening, he did and he gave me the grace to get throught it.


Your sharing your experience will help countless women. Although alot of time has passed since my experience, you sharing helped me to realize that I wasn't crazy and that God was taking care of me. I know this because after three more children, I'm still here and doing etter and growing spiritually everyday. :) Thank you for being, open, honest and for showing that there is hope! May God continue to bless you and your family.

Jenni @ Apron Pockets said...

I'm just visiting from Money Saving Mom's link, and wanted to comment on this post - I too had a tough time post-partum after my 2nd child, and a hard time breastfeeding my first 2. Fast-forward to my 3rd pregnancy, and the OB-GYN ordered a vitamin D level check, and lo and behold, I was low. So I supplemented throughout the pregnancy, and am taking prenatal vitamins post-partum this time around (I got lazy w/my first two pregnancies). I have had such a different (more positive) outlook this time, even though life is much harder and crazier with three boys ages 3 and under than it was with my other pregnancies! I think a lot of it does have to do with Vitamin D. And my breastfeeding is going fine as well. I actually read on another blog that the only thing that made the difference in 1 woman's struggle with breastfeeding was Vitamin D.

Anyway. Rambling. Thanks so much for sharing this post!

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