Warrior Mom Kate, of the blog Hello Lindello, recently shared her postpartum depression and anxiety story in full detail, including all of the ways she feels the medical community in Minnesota let her down as she continually tried to get help for PPD.  Whether it was a nurse who shooed her off from meeting one doctor, to a psych ward doc who suggested she simply had the baby blues when she was having full blown panic attacks, she is understandably disappointed that it took so long for her to find out about the great PPD specialists in her state who could help her (and did!). It’s a long story but a good one because she allows you to follow along and see how various healthcare entities in her area responded to her needs.

Other great stories to read this week:

Susan Stone shares her positive perspective on how much HAS changed in the last decade when it comes to helping moms with PPD and related illnesses, from the books that have been written, to all the blogs that now exist, to the published research and much more. “Sure we could use more,” she writes. “More programs, more money, more research, more services. But to believe progress has been lacking is to ignore a huge body of effort that has brought impressive early results.” She what she means by reading her story here.

Mama Queenly shares her PPD story on the Birth Without Fear blog. I love the title: “I Am Not Okay And That’s Okay.”  I also love the three questions she keeps asking herself about her mothering when things get hard. Check them out!

Galit Breen writes at the Huffington Post about the importance of maternal mental health in relation to breastfeeding.