Bipolar Spouses Online Support Group

I know how challenging her life can be due to her BP and really can't see having a child that would have those same struggles.

I'm interested in hearing from spouses or significant others that can offer any ideas or experiences about having children with a bi-polar person.

However, they call him dad (theirs is a deadbeat) and he is a wonderful and loving father to them. Much more so since being on meds, I might add.

I don't think bp has anything to do with whether or not the person can be capable of being a loving parent. JMO, but I think it is possible that it can vary from person to person depending on their own struggle with this. (med compliance or type of bp, etc might make differences)

With this being said, I would never have married my husband if I thought raising children with him would be a struggle. (beyond normal child raising struggles lol)

Bearing his child would have been nice. (He has no bio kids) Then again, who knows if pregnancy and all it's struggles might trigger an episode.

It is a personal decision, but with the right pdoc assisting you in your decisions and if she is med compliant and goes into it with full knowledge, then I don't see why not.

I would involve her pdoc in this. Otherwise, it might end up making for a tough time.

Hope my opinion helps some.

My son has bad odds. pure and simple. but with education and me as his #1 advocate and me NOT having any mental illness I feel that if my son ever shows any symptom of a mental disorder that I am well prepared to make the best of it. As of right now he is showing NO signs of anything. He is a happy, loving (albeit rambunctious) boy hitting all his milestones on time, and always showing age appropriate behaviors. Yes its such a fear of mine that my son will have bipolar. But I would take my bipolar child over never knowing him any day of the week.

your decision in different. The one thing you have to consider is the difficulty women have after giving birth and during pregnancy. Even a healthy woman can go "nuts" during this time. the sleep deprivation with a newborn is a very trying time and enough to set off the worst of mental status, even with the healthiest of individuals.

If you love this woman and you want to spend the rest of your life with her and have children with her, do it. You will notice that most people that struggle with BP are doing so because they didnt get a diagnosis until late in life. YOU will be able to teach your children about the disease from early on. You will be able to have the best care for them at the onset. If my son ends up with BP I will have no regrets. I will be his advocate and make sure that he gets all the help and therapy and medications he will need. NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING is greater than the love of your child and even with mental illness you do the best you can but you will NEVER regret having your child. and they wont suffer if you keep your eyes open and watch and treat them if they show signs.

its a personal decision only you can make.

drama with the teens he could not handel it.Many times I had wished I knew them when they where younger.I did not mind with his kids for I love them very much also he had custody of them.It was not a weekend relationship.Our biggest fights where always over his kids.His relation with his kids is he acts like a kid.He related with kids by acting like they do in a sence.He also would get jealous if I was up late with his daughters.I still never understood that.Long story short oldest daughter 19 now has a one year old and lives with the mom.I had the youngest 15 go to her mom's.It had to happen she was sooo rebellious sneaking out,she used to cut herself.She wanted attention and could not get what she needed.I could not handel his just going to bed.I would be outside in the backyard alone in the dark,She would not know I was there ,and she was letting guys come into the house.She hated us for doing this, but it had to happen.He would never admit this, but (he is unmedicated)he could not deal with it.I can not speak on how it was when they where little for I was not there.Just wanted to give a little more info on this subject.