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Bipolar and Pregnant: How to Manage and Succeed in Planning and Parenting While Living With Manic Depression
The first book to tackle one of the leading concerns of women with manic depression and related disorders You have bipolar disorder and want to start a family. There is so much to know and manage when thinking about becoming pregnant and having an optimal pregnancy and postpartum period. What are the risks? Can I go off my meds? How will my partner react? Will my child also become bipolar? How do I navigate through the often confusing and ever-changing research on mental disorders and pregnancy? Kristin K. Finn was diagnosed with manic depression as a teenager. Upon deciding to become pregnant, she and her husband also had questions, concerns, and fears. Recognizing that there was no go-to guide that helps women with manic depression navigate pre-natal, pregnancy, and postpartum issues, Finn collaborated with geneticists, obstetricians, psychologists, and psychiatrists to bring you this ultimate support-group-in-a-book and pregnancy resource. In Bipolar and Pregnant, Finn shares her insights and techniques that she developed through two pregnancies, as well as the advice of her esteemed team of experts. In addition, Bipolar and You and your entire support team will be armed with the knowledge necessary to help you optimize your pregnancy, subside anxiety, and feel confident that you are doing the very best for you and your new family.
248 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 6, 2012
This book caught my eye, as I'm at a point in my life where I'm managing my bipolar after about 4 years of treatment and discussing the possibilities of parenthood with my partner. I've had a lot of questions that my psychiatrist just sort of left at "well, ____ tends to be pretty safe" and never seemed really interested in helping me plan for a potential pregnancy. So I was excited to get reading.
On the cover, it's billed as "the latest research on medications and their effect on developing babies"; "expert advice on avoiding psychiatric flare-ups and episodes"; and "information on genetics and your child's risks". Most of the useful statistical information is in the appendices. Specifically, the research on medications seems to be a chart with only one of my medications on it. I noticed a lot of missing meds. The author herself has been on lithium since 1979, and had her kids in the early '90s, so for people my age (late 20s) who are routinely recommended a combination of an SSRI and mood stabilizer, and at the age to be thinking about kids, I felt like a lot of the book just wasn't for me. Perhaps it's the first book of its kind, but there's room to be more timely and relevant to this generation.
Most of the book reads as a diary of her day to day life before, during, and after pregnancy. Some of the information was very good. She lists her own symptoms and reactions to stress and how it affected her during the periods of being off medication; stresses the importance of keeping a journal and becoming mindful about your bipolar; includes her husband's and mother's observations and thoughts on support. BUT. A lot of it chronicles her personal life, in the sort of detail that tends to become grating. She talks at length about a back issue she experienced after her first child, as well as specifics about her job(s) that didn't interest me. I dove into this book eagerly, but after about 90 pages I threw it down and said, "Enough about YOU!" (the author admits that she talks a lot about herself, especially while manic). Another issue with this book is that it feels a little disorganized; for example, the importance of, and facts about, exercise are stressed at several different points, and it feels repetitive. I suppose that's what happens when you write a biography and informational tome at the same time.
While I'm calling this "read", I think the best way to experience it is to skim and see what applies to you. It's written from the perspective of a high-functioning, upper-middle class career woman from 2 decades ago... which certainly does not describe a lot of bipolar women who are more deeply concerned about child-rearing - such as myself.
On the cover, it's billed as "the latest research on medications and their effect on developing babies"; "expert advice on avoiding psychiatric flare-ups and episodes"; and "information on genetics and your child's risks". Most of the useful statistical information is in the appendices. Specifically, the research on medications seems to be a chart with only one of my medications on it. I noticed a lot of missing meds. The author herself has been on lithium since 1979, and had her kids in the early '90s, so for people my age (late 20s) who are routinely recommended a combination of an SSRI and mood stabilizer, and at the age to be thinking about kids, I felt like a lot of the book just wasn't for me. Perhaps it's the first book of its kind, but there's room to be more timely and relevant to this generation.
Most of the book reads as a diary of her day to day life before, during, and after pregnancy. Some of the information was very good. She lists her own symptoms and reactions to stress and how it affected her during the periods of being off medication; stresses the importance of keeping a journal and becoming mindful about your bipolar; includes her husband's and mother's observations and thoughts on support. BUT. A lot of it chronicles her personal life, in the sort of detail that tends to become grating. She talks at length about a back issue she experienced after her first child, as well as specifics about her job(s) that didn't interest me. I dove into this book eagerly, but after about 90 pages I threw it down and said, "Enough about YOU!" (the author admits that she talks a lot about herself, especially while manic). Another issue with this book is that it feels a little disorganized; for example, the importance of, and facts about, exercise are stressed at several different points, and it feels repetitive. I suppose that's what happens when you write a biography and informational tome at the same time.
While I'm calling this "read", I think the best way to experience it is to skim and see what applies to you. It's written from the perspective of a high-functioning, upper-middle class career woman from 2 decades ago... which certainly does not describe a lot of bipolar women who are more deeply concerned about child-rearing - such as myself.
January 31, 2023
This is, unfortunately, a rather dated book. Given the dearth of parent-focused books on this subject, I think many might benefit some from skimming this book, but it is very much a memoir of one upper-class woman's path through pregnancy, and in the 90s. That makes it's usefulness limited, and the narrator at times grating even though some information is compelling. I hope one day there are better, more up to date texts on this subject that aren't just memoirs from women who couldn't find any better resources to support them through their journey.
April 18, 2013
While this book is helpful to know another bipolar persons journey through pregnancy, I was hoping for more references to medical studies, or medical advice. I do find this book useful and see many similarities between the author and myself, but I don't know that I'll be following the advice to a T.
May 22, 2013
I only read part of this book, but I think it would have been a good book for someone who was really confused about something like this and was actually going through the situation at this time.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews