I had not yet been diagnosed with bipolar when I was pregnant but I had severe postpartum depression. About ten days after my son was born I called my ob-gyn and told him I was depressed. He disregarded me and said all women are like that after birth and he told me to drink a beer. Seriously, that's what he recommended. A couple days later I attempted suicide. After that I went to see a pdoc and he gave me an antidepressant and my husband took a couple of weeks off to be with me but I didn't feel like I had much support from the doctor or my H.

An advantage to going inhospital is they can manage meds more quickly to see how you respond to them. I understand you not wanting to be away from your children but they need a stable mom so it might be best for everyone. Usually when I have been inpatient I have only been there five to ten days not counting my first time.