When you first imagined growing your family, did you imagine having two kids? Maybe three?

Surviving a postpartum mood disorder after your first child can throw a wrench into your plans. It can be hard to imagine having a baby again without knowing the potential of experiencing a Postpartum Mood Disorder (PMD) for the second time. 

Unfortunately, no one can for sure say what the odds are of experiencing a PMD after having your second child. What can be said is that someone who has experienced a postpartum mood disorder after the birth of their first child is likely to experience a mood disorder after their second child is born. So instead of asking, “Will I get a PMD again?”,  we can instead ask, “How can I be prepared if I were to get a PMD again?”. 

 Identify your triggers

Examine what triggered you during your first postpartum experience. What were the people, situations, or things that made you feel worse during the day? Consider asking your partner for insight into what made your symptoms heightened during those first months. Common triggers are:

• Loss of sleep 

• Staying indoors  or not being able to leave your home

• Too much family involvement or not enough support from family/friends

• Having a baby that is collicky or difficult to soothe

• Feeling disconnected from your partner

 Create a plan

How can you and your support team better help to alleviate the triggers you may experience throughout those first months?

• Talk to your partner and see if you can take shifts throughout the night so you can both get rest. 

• Reach out  to a friend and ask if they can check in on you throughout the week and see if you need some relief or extra support. 

It can be a big step to reach out for support once you start to experience symptoms so it is important to start advocating for yourself before the baby is born. It may not be easy allowing yourself to be vulnerable with your friends or family, but remember that advocating for yourself now can help to relieve the potential symptoms of PMD the second time around. 

Having another baby after experiencing a postpartum mood disorder can be a terrifying experience. By being prepared before the baby is born, for not only the baby but for yourself as well, can help ease and even prevent your symptoms or triggers. Remember you can always reach out to a mental health professional to help prepare yourself before, during, and after your pregnancy journey. We are here for you.