Today, rather than a guided topic, I’d like to open up today’s Just Talkin’ to the readers.
Have something you need to vent about? Questions about Postpartum Mood Disorders? Something you wish you had known when you were recovering? A general comment?
Share it here!
Let’s get to Just Talkin’ Tuesday!
I’d like to recognize the growing numbers of bloggers discussing Postpartum Depression here at Sharing the Journey. I’ll try to post a list like this each week. If you come across (or write) a great blog that includes a postpartum mood disorder experience and isn’t already on my blog roll, email it to me @ ppdacceptance at gmail dot com.
Today’s featured bloggers are:
Willis, Party of 6: Postpartum Depression (military mom shares her journey with four kids!)
And while the next link is not a blog, it’s a worthy read. An article from Wales which delves into the postnatal depression experience and encourages mothers not to suffer alone. You can read this article by clicking here.
Within the past couple of weeks I read a great article by a columnist down in Palm Beach, Florida. Of course the article is from February 2008 but still relevant. The author waxes over various reactions she’s received as a result of coming clean about her mental struggles and illness. But in the end she decides that shes would not change a thing about coming “out” about her struggles.
I started this blog as a way to cope with my third and very unexpected pregnancy on the heels of a nasty episode of Postpartum OCD which landed me in a psych ward. While there, several of the nurses specifically told me I did not have to share with anyone where I had been or why I had been there. Even at the time I remember thinking that was an odd thing to say. Why would I want to hide what had happened to me? Why would I do such a thing when all I wanted was to talk with another mom who was struggling just like me? Wouldn’t it make sense to reach out to other moms? To open up? What good would hiding my “light under a bushel” do?
So here I am.
Out. Shining. And still struggling from time to time. I have stages – right now I’m struggling a bit with not having the same bond with my girls as I do with my little guy. You see, I didn’t have PPD with him so we got to have the fun bonding way it’s supposed to be according to the books experience. Which, by the way, I found a little weird considering I had never done it that way before. But now I find myself saddened and angry that I never got to bond as strongly with the girls as I have with my little man. But alas, I digress.
Let’s get to just talkin here!
If you’ve “outed” your PPD whether it be through a blog, a book, a news story, sharing with a friend, loved one, co-worker, etc, tell us about the experience. Was it positive? Negative? What you expected? Has the experience of “outing” your PPD changed your life? For the better? For the worse? Let us know!
Here’s a quick list of some moms who are speaking up across the blogosphere about their experience with Postpartum Depression:
Paige @ Walker World “It Snuck up on Me”
Melissa @ YogaMamaMe “Turn Turn Turn …or not: What I learned at 6 months”
Shuggilippo “Lately I really suck at being nice.” (focus on delayed PPD)
I came across this blog just the other day and wanted to send some of you her way.
Stacey is a new mom still recovering from Postpartum Depression. Just as many of us who blog about our own recovery, Stacey wants to add her own perspective. She has a very unique perspective indeed – Stacey is an atheist – which she feels has led to challenges with her treatment, including rejection by counselors. Each of us has our own journey to tread through life. While on my own journey, I have constantly sought to respect and support whatever that may mean for other mothers without placing judgement. I sincerely hope that you, my readers, have chosen to do the same and will view Stacey’s story with that in mind.
Stacey hopes to provide support to other mothers because, in her own words, “I would like this blog to be a vehicle to get information out there. I know there are so many different resources but a lot of them lack a personal perspective, and sometimes knowing you’re not broken, that there is someone who feels or has felt the same way you feel is validating and makes you feel better.”
You can keep up with Stacey’s blog by clicking here.