Introduction
Hello all,
My name is Sarah Smith. I am currently a pediatric hematology/oncology nurse and have recently had a baby. I have not personally experienced postpartum depression but I have known some close to me who have. I feel this is such an important topic that can get overlooked due to the excitement of the new baby. I wanted to create a safe space where those who are suffering from this form of depression can feel they have others around them possibly going through the same thing.
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ReplyDeleteSarah,
ReplyDeleteYou have created a great idea for a blog. This topic is very taboo for many women who don't want to admit they are not able to handle everything being a mother. It is difficult to diagnosis as well due to symptoms being very similar to just being a new mom, i.e. insomnia, weight loss, or changes in appetite (Beck, 2006).
I delivered my second child 2 months ago and did not go through the mood changes as severely as with my first child. I had the baby blues and didn't want to admit to anyone that I was questioning my skills at being a mother. Even though I am an experience maternal child nurse, I had only read about this debilitating disease but now have a perspective of how these women have a hard time asking for help.
Kristi
Reference
Beck, C. T. (2006). Postpartum depression: It isn’t just the blues. American Journal of Nursing, 106(5), 40-50. Retrieved from: http://www.nursingcenter.com
Never having gone through the extreme emotional changes with my 3 sons, trying to empathize could be hard if not for a blog like this to learn in. I learned a lot when I had to do a paper on PPD in eEnglish, but you really don't know until you have to confront it.
DeleteLinda, I have no children, but like you I may find it difficult to empathize without the information that is provided in this blog. I have seen women suffering from PPD and I do feel for them, not just for what they are going through, but because they are missing such a happy time in life.
DeleteKristi, congratulations on the birth of your 2nd child! I'm glad this time was better than the first. Hopefully, at some point there will not be topics that women feel they can't discuss. Sites, such as this one, help in gaining the freedom to discuss the previously unmentionable. It is such a helpless, scary, frustrating time when one feels like they have no one to talk to who can really help.
DeleteThank you Kristi for the positive feedback. I agree that it is looked at as a sort of taboo. Like you I did not experience this after the birth of my baby however I know it happens and is a very real process. I think it can get shrugged off too easily and in turn should become an important focus among the health care field.
DeleteWhen I was in ENG 102 we had to pick a subject and write a 25 page theses on it. You guessed it, I picked this subject due to an incident that happened at a hospital close to my own. A mother jumped off of the 4th story garage holding her 2 year old and 3 week old sons. It was tragic and stuck with me for a long time. How desperate must you be to kill your children? It was in the news a lot because the mother survived. The community as a whole wanted her head. The father was the only voice of reason in a sad sad situation. She had a previous history of PPD and despite intense observation by the father looking for signs of her previous behavior he missed this. Unfortunately their insurance didn't pay for more than 2 weeks of psych care and therapy, so she was no longer under a therapists care. I don't know the ultimate outcome of this situation as it was plea bargained and not published.
ReplyDeleteI remember this being in the news. A true tragedy. We often react with harsh criticism of others when they've done something heinous without really thinking of what has happened in their lives. Your story puts this into perspective.
DeleteLinda, thank you so much for sharing this story as I do not recall this. It is very tragic that you feel so desperate that the last resort is not only to take your own life but the lives of your own children. This is another story that pulls on my heart strings as to why I feel this topic is so important to focus on. Thank you!
DeleteSarah, after the birth of my 2nd child, I experienced post-partum depression, but I was undiagnosed for a very long time. I had the oddest dreams and would even hallucinate dropping her. This is a scary feeling--especially when you don't know what's wrong with yourself. After the birth of my 3rd child, it became worse. I went to my gynecologist's NP and told her something was wrong with me. My daughters were born 364 days apart. I knew I needed help. I knew I was in trouble if somebody didn't help me. I could not understand what was wrong, why I felt what I did because I loved my children so much, or why I had the thoughts I was having. 18 years ago, post-partum depression was not discussed like it is now. I was a stay-at-home mom and I felt crazy. Having someone to talk to helped tremendously, but hearing her tell me that I wasn't crazy and that some women have the same signs and symptoms was so relieving. Having the outlet changed things for me and gave me a renewed sense of what 'normal' was. This blog has the potential to be that. Thank you for opening up this topic to potentially help so many.
ReplyDeleteMary thank YOU for sharing such a personal experience with this topic. Not only do I think it take strength but courage as well to talk about such a sensitive subject. It is a very real disease process and awareness about it is important!
DeleteI am passionate about spreading awareness of postpartum depression. It is a very horrible thing to have (I have been there) and there is such negativity towards women that have been diagnosed. We need to support new mothers and let the families know that PPD can occur in anyone and no one should feel ashamed to get help.
ReplyDeleteLeanne it makes me so happy to know that other nurses out there are as passionate as I am about spreading awareness of PPD. Thank you for sharing that you have experienced it and I think it is horrible that there is such negativity associated with it.
DeleteI like the idea in your blog. This is a subject that is often hard for new mothers to talk about. Your blog provides a possible outlet for these mothers to have a voice without facing the judgment or misunderstanding they may experience if attempting to talk about the subject with their family or friends. Perhaps by posting, they will get the nudge they need to seek professional care.
ReplyDeleteLee Ann do you think that if I could gather more readers whom have experienced this personally to share their stories that it could become a positive educational and therapeutic outlet?
DeleteLee Ann thank you for the kind comments about this blog and its purpose. My hope is that it can be developed and utilized as a positive outlet for those who are suffering or know someone who is or has experienced PPD.
ReplyDelete