Postpartum Depression

I read this today, from Kendra Wilkinson (of Girls Next Door fame):
“I never brushed my hair, my teeth or took a shower. I looked in the mirror one day and was totally depressed … A couple of times, I even said, ‘I just have nothing to live for.’”

This made me really sad. I read constantly on message boards about postpartum depression and the warning signs to look for in case you may be suffering from it. I worried while in the hospital that I would get it and be too strong willed to ask for help. Turns out its actually extremely common. So common that a celeb is coming out and talking about it. I believe Brooke Shields also had it, and that was where she had the argument with Tom Cruise about medication, and whether it was real.

I suppose I was always in the dark about depression in general. When friends would mention they were on depression medication I would think to myself, "They don't need that! They're just making it up. It isn't that bad." Well it turns out this is all real. And some people truly suffer from this, and never seek the proper help.

I think the media has done a terrible job of getting information out there for people who suffer from depression. We see commercials that advertise a pill to take. An easy solution to a big problem. Or people throw the word "depressed" around easily and its made into a joke. Maybe that's why Tom Cruise had such a hard time believing that it was real, and a very serious problem.

So after reading that Kendra suffered from depression I thought to myself about my experience. I was told I would have the "baby blues," and I did. I would cry randomly, feel anxious, and get really irritated quickly. But that all eventually went away. Sure I still get anxious or angry, but its manageable. I can only imagine what it would be like to be trapped inside this dark cloud of depression, unable to get out.

I'm glad Kendra spoke up. It takes a lot of guts to do something like that. Especially as a public figure. I'd be interested to see if on her show they mention it at all.


This really got me thinking about my own birth experience, and when I have time I will write about my feelings behind it. Because I have many many thoughts. (you can read my birth story in my first post).

I put a photo of Kirsten smiling in the post because I often think... when you have a baby so happy and healthy, how can you not be happy? Well, I suppose it can still happen. and that's the difficult part.