Roughly 3 months ago I found my wife crying in the dark after an argument we had had. The argument hadn’t made sense to me. I remember not understanding what I had done wrong. Exasperated I had left my wife upstairs alone (she had demanded I leave her alone), but when I went to talk to her ten minutes later I found her crying in the dark. She hugged me and told me she thought she had Post Natal depression. I held her as she sobbed, together in the dark. One thought going through my mind, ‘How could I not have noticed this?’
I first considered the possibility that my wife might be at risk of post natal depression on the day our daughter was born. The pregnancy had not been a good one with more than one nighttime trip to the emergency doctor, but that was nothing compared to the birth and post natal complications. There was concern about Erin’s size and she had seemingly stopped getting the right nourishment. It was decided to induce labour early as, for want of a better phrase, she was probably better out than in. This did not go to plan and we ended up having to have an emergency c -section. Erin was delivered safely and all seemed okay until that evening when Lyndsey’s health took a dramatic turn for the worse.
Lyndsey has already written in detail about this experience so I won’t do so again, but she had picked up a really bad infection as a result of the C section. I want to say mistakes were made but I don’t really know if that is true. We now know that Lyndsey had sepsis and e-coli but that wasn’t revealed to us at the time. From my point of view my wife was dreadfully ill, hooked up to multiple medications, cannulas in both arms, unable to move, unable to eat, unable to even stay conscious much, and certainly unable to hold the newborn baby she had been so desperate for.
We were in hospital for two weeks and as hard as those two weeks were for me, they were ten times harder for Lyndsey. She had desperately wanted to breast feed and even in the state she was in, she really tried. In the end we had to give up and formula feed so that I could do it.
When we finally got home I was so worried about PND and even PTSD. I even mentioned it to the health visitor who came to see us.
I had to return to work sooner than I was comfortable with but I had no choice. I didn’t want to leave Lyndsey and Erin alone after everything we had gone through. To my relief Lyndsey took to motherhood like a natural. Before I knew it she had Erin signed up to all these different classes and there were whiteboards everywhere and food plans. There didn’t seem to be any issue with bonding or anything. I tried to do my bit with night feeds but we soon came to joke that Lyndsey was the A-team when it came to Erin because she settled for her far more quickly.
I will admit that my worries abated and I threw myself into working hard to try to improve our situation. I took on a new job and said yes to any overtime going. All the while things seemed to be okay at home.
Then a series of things happened – Lyndsey started to experience problems with infections in her c-section scar and is still struggling with it now. On one particularly bad occurrence she was unable to move and I couldn’t go to work for a few days.
Then we have had issues with some of my family and Lyndsey has come under sustained personal attack that was in no way deserved. In my defending her it has led to a massive rift in the family that has taken its toll on both of us. I knew she had been really upset by it but I didn’t know just how much.
It didn’t occur to me for one second that she might be suffering from PND. In my ignorance I thought this was something that would have happened at the start and not an issue a year on. But I now know that Lyndsey had been struggling in silence for quite a while.
I will never forgive myself for this. I like to think I am an attentive husband but I didn’t see this happening and my wife didn’t feel she could talk to me about it. Lyndsey doesn’t like to admit she needs help but I should have known something wasn’t right.
At least now things are out in the open. Lyndsey is taking mild anti-depressants and these seem to really be helping. I wasn’t keen for her to take pills because I don’t want her to become too dependent on them but I think the plan is to wean her off them gradually.
I do my best to make sure Lyndsey gets some baby free time as often as possible and lie ins at the weekend. I may have failed her before but I am determined never to do so again!
PIN IT FOR LATER
This is so nice to see from a partners perspective. I can imagine I wasn’t the easiest or nicest to James but then he wasn’t very good at supporting me! I’m now pretty much out the other side & we get on a lot better x
It was wonderful to read about PND from a partners perspective! These are rare:-)
Anyhow, I wish all the best for your family 🙂
Oh gosh I can relate to this so much – it’s like this was my story!! I had Sepsis after Neve was born and struggled both mentally and physically. I have also been through a big rift with my other half’a family, to the point that he and his brother no longer speak. It’s been a hard time but I know we will get through it. It’s so reassuring to read how you’re looking after her now you’ve spotted the signs. Well done and I hope things improve xxx
Thank you. Sepsis is such a horrible thing to have to deal with. It’s nice to hear from someone in a similar situation too.
I loved hearing this from your partners side, you’ve had such a tough start to things that it’s no wonder it would cause you to feel this way. I’m glad you’ve got a supportive little home unit to help you through this time! x
We’re all getting there slowly
Really lovely to hear about this from your perspective. I think when your partner is ill it is so easy to blame ourselves for not noticing or for not picking up the signs earlier. You musn’t blame yourself! You sound like you are being really supportive and in sharing your story you will help the other families that are going through similar. I’m really sorry to hear about Lyndsey’s traumatic birth experiences and I hope she is feeling better soon. We had a traumatic birth too and now I look back I wish that I had lodged a complaint with the hospital but at the time I had so much going on that it was the last thing on my mind.
We’re the same. We both feel like we should have said/ done more at the hospital but being ill takes over!
Oh my goodness that is rough. But don’t take blame and guilt on board now. I hope it is onwards and upwards for your family.
Thank you!!
It’s nice to read this from your perspective. It sounds like Lyndsey has been having a tough time of it. Well done to her for taking the first steps and seeking help. I hope things get easier for you both soon x
Thanks so much!
It’s so hard to see someone you love in pain and feel useless to help. Great to hear the male perspective
Thanks!
You should never say what if or blame yourself. After all you are supporting her now and that is all that matters. It will be a long road but it is great that you are willing to be there for her. Beautifully written x
We’re getting there slowly, thank you!
It’s not often partners write about the blogger but when they do it’s refreshing and full of honesty and emotion. You are obviously giving Lyndsey all the support she needs now and hopefully you are both through the worst of it. Just keep doing what you are doing, that’s all anyone can ask..
Thank you!
I commend you both for sharing this. I think a lot more awareness needs to be made of PND, and indeed PTSD after a traumatic birth. You two seem like such a tight unit and that will really help. Really interesting to see this from a partner’s point of view. Wishing all of you lots love for the future, you’ve got this ?
Kat x
Thank you so much. I think it’s important to remember there are more people affected than the person suffering with PND
Absolutely! Really powerful post to share x
Reading this from a husbands perspective is so nice, especially as I’m sure it will encourage other mums feeling the same to open up, as I know a huge worry can be how people will respond to it. Well done to both of you for sharing this!