Anyone finding it difficult to emotionally and physically connect with your partner when you’re going through postpartum depression?

You’re not alone🩷 becoming a parent is really hard and having PPD on top of that is almost unbearable. Everything is exhausting and most of the time it’s just easier to check out or disassociate than to explain my feelings/emotions to my husband and try to work through them. I know it’s not healthy but it’s just what’s happening right now. Hopefully we can find some help and open up more to our partners. Thinking of you🩷

@Elise I understand exactly how you feel. Sometimes it’s hard to explain to them what we’re feeling and thinking so it’s just easier to say ‘I’m fine’ or something along those lines. If you don’t mind me asking, has this affected your intimacy in any way because I feel it’s not enjoyable as it was before though the lead up begins enjoyable then that just vanishes too. I catch myself being hyper aware of what’s happening and then just distancing and letting my things follow through but not really embracing and connecting if that makes sense? Idk if it’s just me tho

Yeah it has if I’m honest. More in the sense of I never want to do it. The few times we have it’s been nice but like my drive is barely there. I think that’s normal with PP though. There’s so many hormones and you don’t really recognize your body anymore. I try to be kind to myself but it’s hard to stop judging myself as well. I get what you’re saying about being hyper aware, I’ve done that too. I think it’ll just take time and honestly probably professional help! PPD is a journey that requires help to get through. I hope you find that help and make it through🩷 you can always message me if you ever want to talk.

@Elise I just thought I’d be semi back to normal 6 months postpartum but far from it. I think it might be something I’d bring up to my therapist but it isn’t something I’d be totally comfortable discussing. Will see I guess. Appreciate you reaching out and making me feel less alone x

I don’t think 6mo is enough time, honestly! Especially if you’re breastfeeding or pumping? I think also we never go back to normal. We’re fundamentally changed. We grew a child within our bodies and then brought that child to life, to this world. That is absolutely insane! And it took MONTHS for us to be able to grow that child. We had a person living inside us for months wreaking havoc on our hormones and body and I’m pretty sure we will carry their DNA with us for the rest of our existence. So physically we might be back to “normal” in a few months or whatever. But we are forever changed. We can’t go back to who we were we have to figure out who we are now. I’m having a hard time learning that as I just lost some friends due to the fact that “the vibes weren’t the same” meaning I’ve changed since having a kid. That’s a really tough thing to deal with PP. but accepting that I’m a different person is helping. And understanding that working on my mental health will take time helps too

@Elise I 100% agree with you. I think mums are just tough on themselves but I think that’s what makes a good mother. I get where you’re coming from with friends. In what way do you not align with them anymore? It’s so hard accepting physical and mental changes. It’s such a daily struggle that no one will understand other than yourself. I’ve given up trying to explain my emotions to my husband because sometimes it’s hard to put into words for him to even understand