Maternal mental health?

I was referred to them when Fay was 10 weeks old,and finally saw them when whe was 5 months old!!!! But that said, I found them really good, it was fine tweaking of my meds to get them to work best for me, looking at other ways for me to focus my mind, lots of support groups to get in touch with, One particularly helped, called Mother's Network, I have made some excellent firends and support networks with them. Also really good free psychotherapy for 6 weeks.
It was a big thing for me, as I felt just being referred to a mental health resource confirmed my fears that I was going mad, but it taught me to be so proactive about my mental health. I can self refer back to them at any time, so IF there is a next time, I will speak to the psychiatrist before I hit the lows like I did at 30 weeks with Fay. But I also know it is luck really some people get PND with every birth some with their first and some with their 10th
Go for it I say, it can't do any harm at all

The thing that really surprised me was that it was separate from the adult mental health facilities, so I wasn't worrying about sitting in the waiting area with potential dangers, Fay was safe and it was a really child friendly area.

Hope it goes well for you

Edited by Redbedrock

That is great that you have taken this step :)
I found MMH to be a total support team! The ladies were all very caring and supportive of me & DH!
I was referred when T was 3 weeks old. I also found the link between GP & MMH fantastic.
There was also a great link with Plunket, I was sent on a course for mums with PND. Very hard to get myself there but worth it in the long run.

Yeah i have worked in adult mantal health facilities in and out patient and the thought terrified me, that I would be sitting there with all these people (you really meet all sorts of people in the units). I also worried that I would meet someone I knew and they would put 2 and 2 together and come up with 600, whereas the MMH unit was really private and because it is very specialised it would be obvious why I was there.
I am reassured knowing that while I won't be discharged I have a resource to fall back on if I find the road a bit rocky again. For me I feel that I am coming to the end of this journey, I plan to come off my meds starting 1st March and feel normal again I miss feeling excited about things, you know getting the highs as well as the lows, everything feels just on an even keel at the moment.
good luck Deb, hope it works out for you. Feel free to ask questions

It's not always seperate from mainstream adult mental health services, for instance if you come under Auckland district health board it is seperate, but if you come under Counties Manukau DHB then they are in with the mainstream services.

And honestly, mental health services are not that scary, I know because I work in one. So often they are just normal people like you and I, who are having difficulties at the moment, I think the media conditions us to think otherwise but it really isn't that bad.

Sounds like you're doing a really good thing getting further help, it's so tough to try and fight this kind of thing on your own, sometimes you need allies. It takes a lot of strength to ask for help, so you are doing well. Also, if you're worried or nervous, you can always take a support person with you.

Emma I won't really say that is was a stigma issue for me I think it is more cause of my Mum tend's to bring up alot of other feeling as well. I don't belive there is any shame in needing help.   And I totlly agree it does not mean we are not normal people. Hope your appt goes well Emma.

Maya wrote: Yours too! I must admit that one of my biggest fears is that I will slowly lose the plot more and more and end up as some space cadet, high maintenance mum with adult kids who blame me for making them screwed up!

LOL you just described my Mother.
No Emma don't see that happening to you at all you seem far too stubborn in a good way to let that happen. On a warm fuzzies note you really are and I only know from your post's an amazing woman who has made a great life fou you and your family despite the odd's. You are deffintly someone who can inspire and encourage.

Aww was not ment to make you cry.
Well I was expecting after reading this that I would be waiting ages to hear anything well no not here in NP I got a phone call from them jsut now and on the other end was this very broad scottish male voice. I have an appt on the 4th of march Very scarey really hoping I not seeing him cause I would never be understand a word he say's and I am half scottish. So now I have just over a week to freak out. Oh and it is in the main adult mental health ward.

oh phew casue he sounded too scarey for me. As for my boy's will prb have to take alan cause kindy pick up is just before appt and hospital is that end of town, but he will be fine funny I will actually feel better havign him with me except for the waiting room bit then I worry about aving him with me if that makes scence. Thank's so muc hfro the advice and stff ladies reallt aprciate it.

I have issues with the mental health system with Mid Central as they gave my psycho BIL a job as a mental health nurse. But that is just me and I know I need to get over it now he has left the country *YAY*.

I was told by my GP that MMH in Palmy only take on servere cases and i'm not that "servere" yet .

Did you manage to get an appointment Deb??

I had my first apt on Tuesday it was with the scary scottish guy on the phone, but he was not nearlly as scary in person actually really cool he is the intake nurse who does or the first apt's I was there ofr 2 hour's. Then I was booked in to see the psychiatrist today she was really lovely. I am changing Med's as the ones I am currenlty on are not letting me sleep so well and stolen my sex drive she said the new ones are way stronger and harder to come off, but will be load's better.   When I first arrived she said she thought she had seen me somewhere I guessed it was like the suprermarket till near the end of the apt and I saw her cell phone(it is very flash) I recognised it straight away last friday I wnet to M/W and locked kids and key's in the car and she was the nice stranger that let me use her phone terriblly embarrasing. Anyway she has said she does not think I have as much depression as I do an Anxiety disorder not sure which sound's worse.
Anyway thank's so much for all your support ladies.