Table of Contents
Dedication
Introduction 1
Chapter 1 The Myths and Realities of Postpartum Mental Illness 5
"Feeling Badly Is a Normal Part of Being a New Mother" 7
"If I Tell Anyone How I'm Feeling, They Will Take My Baby Away" 9
"I Should Just Pull Myself Up by My Bootstraps" 12
"If I Feel This Badly I Am Not Meant to Be a Mother and I Am a Bad Mother" 13
"There Are No Safe Treatments, So Why Bother Getting Help?" 15
Chapter 2 Are You at Risk? 19
The First Layer of Risk 22
Biological Risk Factors 22
Psychological Risk Factors 25
Social Risk Factors 31
Breastfeeding Issues 38
Chapter 3 Do You have Postpartum Depression? 45
What's Normal? 46
When Baby Brings the Blues 49
The Big "D" Word: Postpartum Depression 51
Recognizing PPD: What to Watch out For 53
Postpartum Anxiety Disorders 65
Postpartum Mental Health Emergencies 72
Chapter 4 Start by Helping Yourself 81
Tuning into Your Thoughts 81
How to Combat Anxiety 91
Managing Your Expectations 96
Stop Trying to Please 100
Giving up Control to Gain Peace of Mind 101
Comparison Shopping: Every Mom and Every Baby Are Different! 102
Caring for Yourself 104
Sleep and PPD 104
If Breastfeeding Is an Issue 112
Eating Well 113
Just Do It: Get Active 116
Getting Out of the House 118
Taking Time for Yourself 118
Stabilize and Simplify Your Life 119
Chapter 5 Getting Professional Help 121
Who to Turn to For Help 122
How Do I Know If This Is the Right Person for Me? 126
What Will Happen When I Consult a Mental Health Care Provider? 127
Where Else Can I Find Help? 129
Chapter 6 Psychotherapy 133
What Exactly Is Psychotherapy? 134
Is Psychotherapy Like Venting to aFriend? 135
How Can Just Talking Make Me Feel Better? 136
How to Get the Most Out of Therapy 136
Types of Psychotherapy 139
Two's Company and Three or More Is a Group 142
Chapter 7 Medications 147
Medication Myth Busting 149
A Fine Balance 151
Commonly Asked Questions About Taking Medication 152
Which Medications Are Used to Treat PPD and PPA? 161
Other Medications that May be Needed 172
Medications and Breastfeeding 175
Treating Depression During Pregnancy 181
Treatment for Women with Bipolar Disorder 186
Finding the Truth Behind Scary News Stories 188
Other Treatments for PPD 189
Natural Treatments and Dietary Supplements 190
Chapter 8 Weaving Your Web of Support 195
You Really Do Need Support 196
Me, Ask for Help? No Way! 197
Figuring Out What You Need 201
Information and Advice 205
How to Ask for What You Need 208
Chapter 9 Just the Two of You: The Postpartum Partnership 211
A Letter to Your Partner 213
A Letter from Your Partner 218
A Team Approach: How You and Your Partner Can Get Through This 220
What Can I Say? Communicating With Your Partner 223
Chapter 10 Moving On 231
The Other Side: Recovering from PPD or PPA 231
Baby Love: Connecing With Your Baby 232
What to Expect on the Road to Recovery 234
Staying Well 238
Making It Easier the Next Time Around 240
Appendices
Acknowledgments 245
Postpartum Depression Screening Tool 249
Programs That Specialize in Treating Women With Pregnancy and Postpartum Mental Health Issues 251
Resources 257
The Big Picture: Making Large Scale Change 265
Bibliography 267
Index 285
