It doesn’t matter whether you have postpartum depression or something else, what types of symptoms you have, or whether you are pregnant, have just given birth, are one year postpartum or two, have just adopted a baby or recently experienced a loss. You want to hear from others who are just like you.
On this page we’ve gathered the stories you may be looking for, organized in groups so that you can find symptoms, struggles or feelings that are similar to yours. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, keep scrolling. It’s worth it, and I bet you’ll find what you need. But if you still can’t, email Katherine at [email protected] If you’d like other ways to connect with me and other moms with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, check out 5 Ways to Connect with the Postpartum Depression Mom Community.
ILLNESSES
Depression during Pregnancy (Antenatal Depression)
* On How It Feels to Be Depressed During Pregnancy
* The Black Hole of Antenatal Depression
* On Being Depressed & Pregnant
* Robbed of the Joy of Pregnancy
Postpartum Anxiety and OCD
* Two Studies Find Postpartum Anxiety and Postpartum OCD Much More Common Than Expected
* The Endless What-Ifs of Postpartum Anxiety
* Getting Postpartum Anxiety To Back Off
* Does Having Scary Thoughts Mean You’ll Act on Them?
* On What She Wishes Someone Had Told Her About Postpartum Anxiety
* A Toolkit for Postpartum Anxiety & Panic Symptoms
* A Therapist Shares Her Personal Experience with Postpartum OCD
* Postpartum Anxiety & Intrusive Thoughts: One Mom’s Story
Postpartum Depression
* The Symptoms of Postpartum Depression & Anxiety (in Plain Mama English)
* The Difference Between Postpartum Depression & Normal New Mom Stress
* How Many Women Get Postpartum Depression? The Statistics
* Do You Need to Have A Reason to Have PPD?
* The Six Stages of Postpartum Depression
* 20 Things I Never Want to Hear or Read Again, PPD Edition
* Coping With PPD: Do You Cry In the Shower or Hide in the Bed?
* Six Things That Affect How Long Your PPD Will Last
* The Waiting Is the Hardest Part
* Profoundly Alone: The Disconnection of Postpartum Depression
Postpartum PTSD and Childbirth Trauma
* Postpartum PTSD & the Concept of Mental Defeat
* Mom Recounts How Her Childbirth Trauma Led to Postpartum PTSD
* Two Online Communities for Birth Trauma
* Postpartum PTSD Risk Factors and Symptoms
* Postpartum PTSD: Still Fighting To Heal From Her Traumatic Delivery
* Postpartum PTSD is As Common As Postpartum Depression
Postpartum Psychosis
* The Symptoms of Postpartum Psychosis (in Plain Mama English)
* Naked on the Side of the Road: One Mom’s Story of Postpartum Psychosis
* Postpartum Psychosis Higher in First-Time Mothers
* The Devil Was After My Child: A Story of Postpartum Psychosis
* Using Postpartum Psychosis for Shock Value Hurts Moms
* What Goes On in the Mind During Postpartum Psychosis?
Post Adoption Depression
* Post-Adoption Depression: Adoptive Mothers Need Not Suffer in Silence
* Post-Adoption Depression: On What Stopped This Mom From Leaving Her Baby At Target
* On Getting Through Post-Adoption Depression
Depression After Miscarriage, Stillbirth or other Perinatal Loss
* What is the Difference Between Grief & Depression After Miscarriage or Pregnancy Loss?
* 3 Ways to Support Women Who’ve Experienced Pregnancy Loss
* Postpartum Depression After Miscarriage or Stillbirth
* Having A Baby After Infant Loss: The Complicated Mix of Grief and Joy
* The Blurred Lines Between Depression & Grief After A Loss
Depression After Weaning from Breastfeeding
* An Unexpected Weaning Leads to Depression
* Developing Depression After Weaning From Breastfeeding
Dysphoric Milk-Ejection Reflex (D-Mer), or Depression Only During Breastfeeding
* For Moms Who Feel Bad Before Breastfeeding, This May Be Why
* Bad Feelings During Breastfeeding
Warrior Moms of Color
* Being Black with Postpartum Depression: Too Blessed to Be Stressed
* A Culture of Emotional Restraint: Asian-American Mom Shares Her Perspective on PPD
* Black With Postpartum Depression: My Therapist Had Never Treated A Black Woman
* Black and Married With Kids Features Story on Postpartum Depression
SYMPTOMS
Feeling Overwhelmed
* The Overwhelming Feeling of Being A Mom With Postpartum Depression
Anger, Rage, Irritability
* The Rage of Postpartum Depression
* Uncontrollable Anger Can Be Part of PPD
Compulsions
* Obsessed With Cleaning & Organizing: Coping With Postpartum Anxiety
* Trying to Kill the Pain of PPD By Overspending
Difficulty Making Decisions
* Dads Must Deal with Indecisiveness During PPD
Disconnection/Lack of Bonding
* When Bonding Isn’t Immediate: Feeling Like You Don’t Love Your Baby Enough
* Postpartum Depression & the Feeling of Feeling Nothing For Your Baby
* Love in the Time of Postpartum Depression
Intrusive Thoughts (scary, disturbing “what if” thoughts)
* A Primer on Intrusive Thoughts
* Postpartum Anxiety & Intrusive Thoughts: One Mom’s Story
* Does Having Scary Thoughts Mean You’ll Act on Them?
* Hope for Moms with Postpartum OCD and Intrusive Thoughts
* Postpartum OCD and Intrusive Thoughts: When the Wheels Come Off
Insomnia/Sleep Problems
* Moms Need Sleep to Help Stave Off Depression
Mania/Hypomania
* The Difference Between Hypomania & Mania
* The Enticing Euphoria of Hypomania
Panic Attacks
* Postpartum Panic Attacks Give Way To Postpartum Joy
* Postpartum Panic Attacks: One Mom’s Experience of Full-Scale Fear
Perfectionism
* Postpartum Depression & the Pain of Perfectionism
* How Perfectionism Can Be a Sign of Postpartum Depression
Physical Symptoms (headaches, stomach aches, back pain, etc.)
* The Physical Symptoms of Postpartum Depression
Self-Doubt
* When PPD Beliefs Become Truths: On Self-Doubt
* The Unrelenting Self-Doubt & Second-Guessing of Postpartum Depression
* Postpartum Depression Is A Thief & A Liar
Suicidal Thinking
* An Explanation of Suicidal Thinking (in Plain Mama English)
RISK FACTORS
Diabetes
* Women with Diabetes Twice As Likely to Suffer from PPD
Infertility Treatments
* Postpartum Depression After Infertility
Childbirth Trauma
* Emergency C-Sections & Pre-eclampsia Increase Risk for PPD
* Pregnant Women with Hyperemesis Gravidarum at Risk for PPD
Childhood Trauma/Difficult Relationship with Your Own Mother
* Helpless & Small In the Dark: Childhood Trauma & PPD
* How Your Own Mother & Childhood Can Impact Postpartum Depression
* Childhood Trauma & Finding Elusive Mother Love
Eating Disorders
* Study Finds History of Eating Disorders A Risk Factor for PPD
Family History
* On Family History and Postpartum Depression
Miscarriage or Perinatal Loss
* Previous Perinatal Loss Is Predictor of Postpartum Depression
Mothers of Multiples
* Mothers of Multiples Have Twice the Risk of PPD
* Mom of Twins Gets No Help From Her OB for Postpartum Depression
Past Physical or Sexual Abuse
* Resources for New Moms Who’ve Suffered Past Sexual Abuse
* Abused Latinas Have Higher Risk of Postpartum Depression
Thyroid Problems
* Is Your Thyroid Making You Depressed?
* Thyroid Problems in Women & Postpartum Depression
TREATMENT OPTIONS
Asking for Help
* What To Do When You’re Too Afraid To Ask For Help
* 5 Reasons Why Asking for Help Sucks
Alternative Treatments
* Study Shows Acupuncture Works to Relieve Depression During Pregnancy
* The Best Complementary & Alternative Treatments for Postpartum Depression
* Hypnosis For Postpartum Depression?
Finding A Doctor or Therapist
* Told It’s a 5-Month Wait to See A Psychiatrist? Tips on What To Do Next
* Need Help Finding A PPD Specialist?
* Tips on Low and No-Cost Treatment for PPD & Anxiety
Inpatient Hospitalization
* Opening Up About Hospitalization for Postpartum Depression
* Tips on Inpatient Psychiatric Care
* Straight Talk About Hospitalization and Postpartum Depression
Medication
* No Judgment Allowed: What Saves One Mom May Not Save Another
* Postpartum Depression & The Stigma of Happy Pills
* Your Questions Answered About Being on Medication for Postpartum Depression
* Postpartum Depression With A Side Order of Side Effects
* Practical Advice on Antidepressants & Weight Gain
Therapy
* What To Do When Your Therapist Isn’t Working For You
* 5 Common Concerns About Therapy for Postpartum Depression
* Is Therapy A Crutch? (video)
* How Does Psychotherapy for Postpartum Depression Work, Anyway?
MAJOR ISSUES
Breastfeeding
* Toughing It Out With PPD to Breastfeed: An Expert Weighs In
* Letting Go of the Guilt of Not Breastfeeding
* From Boob to Bottle: The Unnecessary Shame of Quitting Breastfeeding
* Which Psychiatric Medications Are Safe During Breastfeeding?
Insurance
* How to Get Help if You Have PPD & No Insurance
Religion
* Islam & Postpartum Depression
* Postpartum Depression Resources for Different Religious Faiths
* How Spirituality Can Impact Recovery from Postpartum Depression
* Mormon Mom On How Faith Helped Her Through PPD
RECOVERY
Going Back to Work
* How to Handle Going Back to Work with PPD
Parenting
* Have I Wrecked My Child’s Life?: Parenting After PPD
* Tips on Parenting Well While Suffering A Mental Illness
* What Have I Wrought? Postpartum Depression’s Impact On Our Children
* Parenting with A Mental Illness
* Getting Rid of the Guilt After Postpartum Depression
* 8 Ways To Be A Good Mother Instead of A Perfect One
Having Another Child
* Having A Child After PPD (Video)
* This Valentine’s For You (What I Want You To Know About Having Another Baby)
* To Have or Have Not: Should You Stop Having Children After You’ve Had PPD?
* How To Prepare For the Next Baby
Relationship/Marriage Issues
* Keeping Your Relationship On Track During Postpartum Depression
* How PPD Affects Your Marriage or Partnership
* Postpartum Depression’s Impact on Marriages & Divorce
* When Dads & Partners Don’t Seem To Get It
* Postpartum Depression and Relationships: Treating the Whole Family
* When Relationships Worsen After Mothers Recover from Postpartum Depression
* Will Your Partner Ever Understand Postpartum Depression?
Setbacks
* How Recovering from PPD Is Like Playing Chutes & Ladders
* Relapsing on the Road to Recovery from Postpartum Depression
* Postpartum Depression: The Fight Isn’t Always Pretty
Self-Care
* Finding Balance Between Body, Mind & Social Network During Post partum Depression
* Why Mindfulness Should Matter to Moms With Post partum Depression
* The Ands & Buts of Post partum Depression
This page is a work in progress, so if you feel like there is a section missing or something that really needs to be addressed here, let us know at [email protected] We want to make sure you feel represented here!!!
Katherine Stone
