Dealing With Postpartum Depression {The Second Time Around}

I first spoke on my Postpartum Depression a couple of years ago after the birth of my first child. In a blog post, I wrote about the empty sadness that haunted me soon after giving birth to my son and how there was no way that I could just “snap out of it.” I had all of these amazing things going on, but I would cry and cry. I wouldn’t even answer my phone calls or texts because I didn’t want to talk to anyone. I sat there holding my newborn baby boy and I just felt completely lost-as if I was sitting in a dark house with all of the lights turned out.

Eventually, I talked to my doctor and I began Zoloft which truly helped to improve my symptoms, which I spoke on in an updated blog post regarding my PPD. I was able to enjoy my newborn son, my husband, and my life.

As soon as I became pregnant with baby #2, prenatal depression set in because I had gotten off of my Zoloft in order to conceive a healthy baby. I did not want to be on any medication during the first 12 weeks of conception as my doctor recommended since this was the most critical time during pregnancy in which everything important is forming. I wrote a blog post on my decision to go back on Zoloft during my pregnancy and how it was a tough choices to make, but the benefits outweighed the risks. It helped to level out my hormones and things improved, but I know the huge test was how I was going to react after baby. I was so scared about falling back into PPD.. terrified, to be honest.

After giving birth to my second baby, my hormones eventually leveled out, but even though I was on medication, I still felt those sad feelings here and there. It is just part of the mental illness that cannot be controlled. However, I can improve this through positive mantras, meditation, eating well, working out, prayer, healthy hobbies, and leaning on my husband for support.

Women are SO afraid to talk about postpartum depression-people are so afraid to talk about depression in general because in today’s society, you are made to feel weak or “making it all up.” We are constantly told, “Oh just get over it” but it is time to start speaking up and to stop feeling ashamed of it. It happens, it sucks, and you have got to tell someone or get help. If your arm was cut off, you would have to go to the hospital for treatment, right? Depression is no different-just because you cannot see it, doesn’t mean its not there. Do it for your family, your kids, yourself.

Your trainer and friend,