Concern over grandbaby

My daughter recently gave birth. She has suffered the baby blues shortly afterwards and has gotten worse. She was prescribed Prozac but will not take it.  She stayed with me for three weeks then moved out to move in with the baby's dad and his parents. She has been having parnonia and thinks that I am out to kidnap the baby.  Today they showed up at my work and security had to be called as she caused a scene where she thought I was going to take her baby from her.  She refused medical treatment.  I told her she needed to get some help and she is not financially, emotionally able to take care of her child.  She has left the baby with me for the weekend while she says she will go to the hospital.  I want to see her get the help she needs but I also am concerned for the baby's welfare right now.

[whimpy2]

She could be suffering from what I think is called after birth depression which is common.
Her age is important too, and if she intends to have more babies I'd advise her to get informed and by the professionals as well. Don't panic go into this slowly as many areas need to be looked at. Come back to this forum it is a good one and people will help shed some light.

[gemmamisty]

Hi there,
I have bi polar but not a clear diagnosis of it as yet. I just wanted to comment because after i had my first son (i have two) i suffered awfully from what may have been baby blues. I was convinced for months that something terrible was going to happen to my son and his father, i was constantly crying and very confused, i couldn't explain it, still can't really but i had this awful very real feeling that both my son and his dad were going to die and it would be my fault for letting them go anywhere.I used to have my son in a cradle next to the bed but i would get paranoid and actually take it off its stand and have it in the middle of the bed with myself on the outside and my partner on the inside of the bed next to the wall, i couldn't sleep any other way, and even then i hardly slept. I moved house three times during the first few months so it was hard to get any help, plus the fact i was in complete denial about it. My partner was very worried that i had post natal depression, at the time it wasn't really known about the bi polar even though i had some years befor been in a psych unit for about ten days. It did pass on it's own but it probably would have been a lot easier for everyone concerned if i had had some help at the time, i also refused anti depressants. I guess my only advice is for your daughter to try and see that her behaviour is not normal and to talk about it and give support, also if you are very worried you must get professional help for her. The best case senerio is for her to get better so she can be a good mum.  I know it's very hard on everyone involved, i wish you love and healing

[bernie40]

This sounds like Post Partum Depression and a very severe case of it.  It is far more common than people realise.  

Hopefully once she goes to the hospital they will diagnose this and begin treatment straight away.  This may require a stay in hospital but usually baby stays with the mum so they are not separated.

Your daughter will get through this.  With proper treatment she will improve quite rapidly.  This does not make her a bad mum or incapable mum, just a mum who needs lots of help and support for a while.

I wish her all the best.