Question for those with Panic Disorder who have been pregnant

I suffer from OCD and Panic disorder and was wondering how others dealt with these issue while pregnant and with newborns. Did you stay on meds? Did pregnancy make things worse? Do you think it made you a worse parent? What are some thing I might experience?... and any advice/things you think I should know when considering having a child.

I was on meds before I got pregnant with my first and stopped taking them. The doctor thought that the minor risk was worth it but I just didn't feel comfortable with it. My first two pregnancies I actually felt better. Almost no anxiety at all for some reason. My third (not to scare you), was awful. Worst anxiety I have ever felt. I became scared of everything including my husband and other kids, they wanted to put me on something that would at least help me sleep but again I didn't feel comfortable. I blamed the baby for making me feel so bad and was scared that after she was born I would still blame her but almost as soon as I had her I felt better. I was fine in the hospital and taking her home and to me it was worth those few months of anxiety for the beautiful little girl I have now. I was thinking maybe my hormones were out of whack and that was the cause.

I think you should ask your doctor in regards to the meds and if you feel like you wouldn't be able to deal without them, you should tell your doctor. They may be able to switch you to something that isn't as risky as far as the baby is concerned. There are lots of meds out there now that don't pose risks to the baby while you are pregnant and/or breastfeeding. Like I said, my first two pregnancies were great. I don't feel like my anxiety makes me a worse parent, I just go out of my way to not let them see how anxious I am. It's difficult but definitely worth the effort.