Hellobee

"The chain of events happened like this: insomnia –> anxiety –> postpartum depression."

"Postpartum depression (PPD) is one of those terrible, unpredictable, uncontrollable events surrounding pregnancy I never expected to experience after having a baby. There may have been some things contributing to my “level of risk” in having PPD."

"I am fortunate to have known very early on I was exhibiting many symptoms of postpartum depression (PPD). I had several health professionals express concern for me – my pediatrician, one of my nurses whom I met with for a follow-up appointment for my gestational diabetes, a friend of mine who is a labor & delivery nurse, and a family member who is a doctor. Initially, when what I thought were just a couple of rough days turned into inability to fall and stay asleep, anxiety, fear, hopelessness, and uncontrollable crying all day long, I knew it was time to seek professional help."

"At my worst, I believed I would never enjoy life again. My new lot in life was to not have a life; I would be a slave. I would never sleep again, I would never go out again, and I would always feel confused, stumbling through my new role as a mother. I terribly missed my old life. I asked a friend of mine when her life began to feel normal again after having her first child. She said five months. Five months sounded like an eternity when I was living in three-hour cycles."

"I’m taking meds for post-partum depression. There, I said it."

"Tears just kept falling and falling. I had no appetite, I had no desire to think or look at the baby. Mr. Pencil and his mom had to really step in and take over. I got up to pump, but even then I felt totally devastated. At the same time, I felt bad for Baby Pencil. Shouldn’t I be the one taking care of him? I felt like a horrible mom, but I also wanted to be relieved from my duties."

"While I was lucky enough not to go through full on postpartum depression, I definitely experienced some pretty serious bouts of sadness and lots of anxiety after having Charlie."

"We’re all familiar with postpartum depression (PPD), but something I’ve only recently learned of is Post Adoption Depression."