Today, I share with you the posts of two mothers who worry, as many of you do, about recurrence of postpartum depression with subsequent children.
“Yet, it is hard to wear this survivor badge with a whole lot of joyor even pride when it feels like something I’ll never escape. Maybe after I survive my third go round, which I hope I’m too busy with three kids to even go through, maybe then I can be proud I survived another battle.Right now I just feel like I’m one corner away from that ugly beast.”
“It is raw and painful to know that I considered ending the lives of my children and myself. It is horrifying. It is unbearable at times. It is not enough sometimes to know that I had a temporary illness (now treated). It hurts in a way nothing else can. And if I’m going to be honest with myself, this is still my biggest consideration when thinking about future children- am I risking the lives of my children by considering having another?”
Thanks ladies for sharing your thoughts so openly. It is certainly frightening to think about getting postpartum depression or any related illness again. Once is way more than enough! While those of us who’ve already had it have a higher risk than the average mom of getting it again, there’s no guarantee we will, and there’s a lot we can do to make sure it doesn’t affect us the same way if we do.
If there’s a next time, you’ll have a team around you. You’ll know exactly where to get help. You’ll know that you’ve recovered from this once, and that it’s not your fault. You’ll likely have a lot more support around you, now that everyone got the message the first time. You’ll have Postpartum Progress. It’s scary, but you can do it. I did it, and everything worked out just fine.
