Finally the moment has arrived! The pain from labor has finally ended. Your exhausted and can barely keep your eyes open. But you fight the sleep to get a glimpse of your new bundle of joy. You look with astonishment at your precious creation sleeping in your arms. Congratulations! You are a mom. Stretch marks are ignored because in that moment what means the most is looking right at you. Filled with super human strength, you automatically have an overwhelming desire to protect the baby from the world. However, could you ever imagine having to protect your beautiful baby from yourself?

I can. About 13 years ago I was a new mom filled with so much love and disbelief that this angelic being was actually mine. I felt as if my life was complete. Unbeknownst to me, my feelings for my baby began with unconditional love and later grew to anxiety, depression, fear, and sadness. I never knew like many new moms how much trauma your body goes through emotionally and physically once you have a child. Your body is never the same. I loved my baby more than life itself, but I knew something was wrong with me emotionally. I didn’t know what it was until I started to do my own research and realized I had 5 out of the 7 symptoms listed from my google search on postpartum depression. I was a new single mom who delivered the baby through c-section. My body did a 360. The physical changes were overwhelming to me and I didn’t understand what I was feeling or going through at the time. All I knew was I needed to seek professional help. It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with postpartum depression that I went to see a psychiatrist for treatment. Hypnotherapy,  deep discussions, and education seemed to help me get through. Personally, I declined the idea of taking antidepressants. My idea of “healing” through this process was using a holistic approach. I was lucky enough to recognize my symptoms and notice something was not right with me. Three years after having my son, I was blessed with my daughter. Once again, I was beginning to get the baby blues, but this time I understood it and I didn’t fear it. With the awareness I obtained from having my first child, I was able to get through it better. I consider myself very lucky because it could have led to something far worse. Postpartum depression is real and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Some women suffer in silence for fear of what others may perceive them to be as a “bad” mother. Its’ time to educate and be aware of what many women go through alone.   

According to http://www.postpartumdepression.org 70% to 80% of women will experience some sort of “baby blues”, 10% to 20% of new mothers are affected, and 1 out of 7 mothers may experience postpartum depression a year after giving birth. That is about 4 million live births in the United States yearly, equaling approximately 600,000 cases of diagnosed women with postpartum depression.

By the way, what is Postpartum Depression?

Postpartum depression is a mental disorder that affects women after giving birth. Mothers experiencing postpartum depression suffer from episodes of sadness, loneliness, fatigue, irritability, and feelings of emptiness that often do not go away. This interferes with the new mothers day to day life and their ability to care for their child.

According to http://womenshealth.gov “hormonal changes may trigger symptoms of postpartum depression. When you are pregnant, levels of female hormones estrogen and progesterone are the highest they’ll ever be. In the first 24 hours after child birth, hormone levels quickly drop back to normal, pre-pregnancy levels. Researchers think this sudden change in hormone levels may lead to depression. This is similar to hormone changes before a women’s period, but involves much more extreme swings in hormone levels” (WomensHealth, 2018).

What does the media say about Postpartum Depression?

 Remember the crazy days of Tom Cruise and how he ridiculously jumped on Oprah Winfrey’s couch; shouting his love to the world for Katie Holmes? Tom not only made a fool of himself but  stuck his foot in his mouth about Brooke Shields and her battle with postpartum depression. Brooke took the medicinal route. A prescription for antidepressants was provided to her by a psychiatrist to help her battle this condition. Taking antidepressants along with educating herself, contributed to her healing and awareness. She further explained in an interview she was not as concerned about getting postpartum again with her second pregnancy because she took the necessary actions she felt were best in her situation. Tom Cruise made comments such as, “it masks the problems” and “there is no such thing as a chemical imbalance” which could have strong effects on women who are unsure of what they are dealing with or what to do. Going holistic or taking medications should not be in question. It is vital for women to understand either way is okay. Postpartum depression does not make you a bad mother. You shouldn’t feel like you have to go through this alone. There is help out there for you. 

            Things you can do that other moms found to be helpful with postpartum depression  (familydoctor.org):

•  find someone to talk to and tell them about your feelings
•  get in touch with people who can help with childcare, household chores, and errands. This support network will help you find time for yourself so you can rest.
•  find time to do something for yourself even if its 15 minutes a day
•  keep a daily diary. write your emotions and feelings down. This is a way to let out your thoughts and frustrations. Once, you begin to feel better you can go back and re-read your diary. This will help you see how much better you are.
• celebrate small achievements. even if you get one thing day on any given day.
• its okay to feel overwhelmed. Childbirth brings many changes and parenting is challenging.
• you are not expected to be a super mom. Be honest about how much you can do. Ask for help when you need it.
• find a support group in your area.
• talk with your doctor about how you feel.  Counseling and/or medicines may be offered which can help