Bipolar Disorder and Pregnancy

Pregnancy is supposed to be a wonderful thing. When you have a mental disorder it can be frightening to even think about pregnancy. There is no reason to fear having a child. People with bipolar disorder have children everyday and turn out perfectly fine. Before you get pregnant you should take a lot of time to plan. Though unexpected pregnancies happen often. If you are taking medication you should not abruptly stop taking it. That could harm the baby. It is better to slowly wean yourself off of it.

It is not always necessary to make changes to your medication. It is important to go to a doctor so they can help you find what is best for you and the baby. A psychiatrist may be needed to evaluate your well being while you do or don't make the medication changes. You want to be sure you are as mentally fit as possible to prepare for your baby's arrival.

Besides the issues of medications and therapy, some women worry about passing the bipolar disorder down to their child. It is possible for your child to get the disorder, especially if both you and the father have it. Those are just the chances you have to take. Anybody can have children with mental disorders.

Some women fear that they will be bad mothers because of their disorder. That is untrue. Medications can stabilize your emotions like they did before you got pregnant. You won't be able to breastfeed if you are on medication because it could still harm them. Every woman has a different reaction to having a baby. Some have worse emotional problems while others are content.

Postpartum depression is common for women who have just had a child but women with bipolar disorder can have it far worst. With this being said, this is why it is important for women and their family to have a plan. Until she can return back to normal someone will need to be sure the baby is safe and taken care of. People have been known to do many horrible things to their babies because they have had psychotic breaks. Don't risk this happening. Be sure to have a plan just in case.

Earlier I brought up breastfeeding. Many women would prefer to breastfeed because it is healthier for your baby and can help them build up their immune system. Some medications are perfectly safe when breastfeeding but with that you will often have to wake in the middle of the night to feed the baby. Sleep deprivation has been known to cause manic episodes. There are several options you have so that you won't have to worry about having an episode. Use a breast pump and leave a few bottles in the fridge for someone else to feed the baby while you're asleep. Also switching to formula may be another solution to try out.

Not every women has someone to help her with her baby. There are many single mothers out there but they do not need to be alone. There are people you can hire that will help you with your plan of raising a baby. There are nannies or part time babysitters that can provide the support you need. It is important to find someone that can keep an eye on your mood swings. If necessary nurses can even be hired to visit your home and help out where needed.