by Jade from Iowa
Hello! My name is Jade. The image above shows my two adorable boys: Keatten is 3, and Whaylen is 1. I want to share some personal insights about postpartum depression with you.
Let me start by emphasizing that postpartum depression should be taken seriously. And please, do not be ashamed of it! Please find the help you need, there is an army of people behind you.
After having my first child, I got diagnosed with PPD right off the bat. My signs and symptoms were:
feeling better off alone
feeling like I couldn’t properly take care of my child
anxiety and panic attacks
thoughts of self-harming and running away
Symptoms can change from person to person, but feeling like you are not enough and are better off alone is a big symptom that should have a giant red flag above it!
I went to my doctor and she prescribed a medication for me. Now, if you are the type of person who prefers to not take meds, talk to your doctor about other options available. After talking some more, she recommended going to a counselor. I did and I started a slow uphill climb.
I started taking more time to myself at night, and also doing more personal development. It is crucial that you take time to yourself whenever you get the chance. Because you deserve it! Sometimes my time to myself was taking extra longer to get the groceries or a drive to myself.
Find a support system that works for you and stick to it! Find friends that you can trust and go to them for everything. Most times, family will also be there to support you, as it takes a village to raise a child. Just know, you are not alone in this fight. And I promise you we can get through this, together.
This blog was written by one of our guest bloggers, Jade.
About Jade - I have been married for almost 4 years to my lovely husband Austen and we have two little boys. Keatten just turned 3 in August, and Whaylen had his 1st birthday in June! We live in a small NW Iowa community! I work as a Behavioral Aide at the local middle school, and my husband works for a company called Lynch Family Companies.
Want more information on this topic? wichealth.org has a free online lesson called Getting The Support You Need For Baby's First Weeks . Find this lesson at wichealth.org in the Preparing For Your Newborn category!
