Jenn H: Overall Positive Pregnancy with Breech Baby, Scheduled C-Section, Leads to Postpartum OCD and Intrusive Thoughts

The Golden Hour Birth Podcast

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*CONTENT WARNING* : This episode includes discussions of Perinatal Anxiety and Mood Disorders, including scary intrusive thoughts and thoughts of suicide.

Jenn and her husband were married in 2018, and knew they wanted to start a family soon after. In 2020, they became pregnant and were very excited to embark on this journey of parenthood together! While going through a pretty easy pregnancy, they found out the baby was breech at their 20 week anatomy scan, but they weren't too worried as they still had 20 weeks to go. As time went on, baby never flipped and they believed it was due to baby’s large head. Although Jenn was really hoping for that “ah-hah!” moment and scheduled a c-section, she did get her “ah-hah” moment when she believed what to be her water broke at 38+5 weeks.

Her and her husband drove 45 minutes to the hospital to learn it was not her water, or urine, and still do not know what it was to this day! They drove 45 minutes home and as she got out of her husbands truck, her water truly broke. They drove 45 minutes back and were ready to meet their baby boy! Jenn and her husband welcomed their son, Noah, and everything was going well. As she was praying over her son later that day, she started experiencing very scary and unwanted intrusive thoughts. Jenn had never heard of intrusive thoughts before and had no idea how to cope with them.

After being home with her son and experiencing more intrusive thoughts, Jenn thought she was experiencing postpartum psychosis and started to thinking of ways to end her life to protect her son. She finally decided to share her visions with her husband. She went to her doctor and was put on medication that helped drastically. Once she researched intrusive thoughts and was diagnosed with Postpartum OCD, things made sense and she was able to bond with her son.

These days Jenn is doing much better and managing her Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders through therapy and medication. She is very passionate about helping other parents through the postpartum period and is the State Lead Coordinator with Postpartum Support International.
You can connect with Jenn Holmes by email at [e-mail] or follow her on Instagram @Jennnholmes
Check out Postpartum Support International at www.postpartum.net for resources.
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Intro Song by Carpathians (Donny Rodgers): https://carpathians.bandcamp.com/track/lavaman
If you are feeling anxiety or depression, please seek professional help.