Mums Help Mums Network - First Post

I have been thinking for at least a year about setting up something aimed at mums.

My initial thought was for it to be some sort of help or support group or community or forum so others can share their experiences, thoughts suggestions and offer help and advice to others based on their own experiences.

Hopefully as this network expands there will be enough people with a broad range of experiences and problems to provide support to one another.  I am also at the same time starting a blog to run in conjunction with the Facebook Page detailing the set up of the page, my thoughts and experiences as I do not want to monopolise the facebook page and make it all about me.  On the same hand I have experienced an awful lot over the last years and felt if I could openly share it would; (a) be a little self-help for me and; (b) the reader may know of someone or themselves be experiencing a similar situation.

I have suffered with extremely severe post natal depression after the birth of my son Seth, now 3.  I had an extremely traumatic birth which resulted in birth injuries to me and an emergency situation with Seth.

I also suffered with postnatal depression with Connor who is now 11 and if truth be known I have always as an adult suffered with some sort of depression so I think I am just genetically one of those people prone to depression.  I hope that I am not a moaner, nor am I negative or feel sorry for myself.

The last three years have been a very difficult private battle with depression and there have been times when I have actually felt I could no longer go on.  Thankfully through the support of my husband, amazing family and friends and a 4 week stint in psychiatric hospital (referred to by my family as my holiday away from life) I am getting there.  Every day I have to work at being well and I have accepted that I will always have to work at this.

I have experienced many different things over the last few years and I also kept a diary whilst in hospital.

I am going to blog about my different experiences and share some of my diary from when I was in hospital.  When writing about my hospital stay I will not use anyones real name whom I met in hospital but will discuss what happened and my experiences there.

As mentioned this blog will run along side the Mums help Mums network page on Facebook.  I intend to try and blog everyday if I can and talk about whats going on with me, the Mums Help Mums Network Page and talk generally about the different problems and experiences I have had personally as a result of my depression and pregnancies and children.