The only thing that matters is a healthy baby. Once you hold that baby, your world will feel complete. Motherhood is the most rewarding experience you will ever have. . . or so they say.
What new mothers are not told often enough is that the postpartum period of motherhood is HARD. Excruciating even. You may be in physical pain for sure, but the mental and emotional anguish that many new mothers go through is pure hell. What’s worse, is that many new mothers do not seek help out of fear of judgment. Many new mothers are not even able to articulate what they are feeling. And the availability of quality postpartum care for new mothers is severely lacking.
See Bloom WFLA Video interview with MMH Founder Jillian Amodio regarding Postpartum Depression.
The moment my child was born I sobbed. Then I froze. These were not tears of joy, these were tears of agony, for in that moment a terrible realization hit me. I would never be enough for this beautiful baby. I froze because I felt that every move I made was surely the wrong one. I didn’t realize it until years later, but those months I spent crying, hating myself, lost in a myriad of tangled emotions, and questioning every single move I made were all directly related to my experience with PPD. I experienced PPD with both of my children but it wasn’t until my second that I realized what was happening.
Having an adequate support system is essential to new moms. A baby isn’t the only life being brought into existence. The life of a mother has been born anew as well. And this life needs to be nurtured, loved, and cared for just as much as the life of the new baby.
If you or someone you know is struggling with PPD reach out to a friend, family member, mental health provider, or Postpartum Support International.
Moms for Mental Health 