This is a guest post by Christina Hammond Wilds
Postpartum depression is no myth and it comes in several different forms. Sometimes we feel it immediately and other times it comes a little later. Does every mother face it? No. But it’s definitely something worth discussing.
Let’s face it, since we’ve been in the house a lot more, we might find ourselves on social media a little more. As mothers, it’s very common to look at other women we know or don’t know who’ve become mothers. However, it’s very uncommon that women are open on their platforms about how they’re dealing with postpartum or even mention that they are going through it at all.
It’s important that we don’t let what we don’t see affect what we are going through personally. I don’t want you to feel weird that you’re going through depression. The best way to overcome it, is to recognize it, acknowledge it, and deal with it accordingly. Me personally, I wrote in a journal and was very open with my husband and family about where I was. You do not have to go through it alone. Even if the people around you don’t understand what you’re going through, doesn’t mean they can’t help you.
As previously mentioned, it can come in different forms. There’s new mom guilt, postpartum hair loss, feeling like you’re missing out, anger with your partner for being able to go back to life as it was, disappointment in your postpartum body, the stress of feeling like you have to do it all. How do I know these things, I went through it all myself. It wasn’t pretty, but it was only temporary.
That’s the best part, it isn’t something you’ll go through forever. Another way I got through mine was simply thinking of my darling daughter. Babies will always pick up on the vibes around them. Despite what I was going through, I tried my hardest to maintain positive vibes. We all pray for a happy and healthy baby. We must do our part in making sure they are happy. Does it mean you have to be happy all the time? No. When you feel that sadness overcoming you, take a walk, if you have the help, ask them to watch the baby for a second so that you can have a moment to yourself, cry when the baby is asleep, find a mom support group online, and talk to a therapist. Whatever you need to do to get it out, do that.
Postpartum happens, embrace it and become the best mother you possibly can. You got this mom.
