7 Things You May Not Know About Post Partum Depression

Because lack of sleep isn't always the problem.

If you’ve ever been pregnant — or sleeping next to someone who’s been pregnant — you know how uncomfortable it can be.

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But at the end of those nine months all the hemorrhoids and heartburn is worth it when that sweet, adorable bundle of joy is placed in your arms. Right???

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Not for everyone. For some moms, that's when the real nightmare begins.

Having a baby is stressful, exhausting, and scary. It can be hard to pay attention to what’s going on with your own body if you’re constantly trying to keep a baby alive. One thing that might be making that tiny terror of yours so horrifying could be post partum depression or anxiety.

1 in every 7 women will suffer from post partum depression and many go undiagnosed. Why? Because the symptoms are vast and the shame you feel is very, very real.

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Here are some lesser known facts about Post Partum Deppresion:

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1. Post partum doesn’t have to rear it’s ugly head immediately after your baby crowns his.

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Symptoms can occur at any point up to 12 months after you have your baby.

2. Just because you didn’t have it after your first baby doesn’t mean you can’t have it with your second.

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Or third.

3. Symptoms vary and you don’t have to experience all of them to be suffering from the darker side of pregnancy.

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The most common PPD symptom is feeling overwhelmed. Not like “wow, this new baby thing is hard” but like “I can’t do this. I’m all alone. I’ll never get this right. Everyone is better off without me” type of overwhelmed.

4. While everyone else is telling the new mom that her baby is the cutest/sweetest/most lovable baby around she could be feeling nothing. Like numb on the inside, smiling on the outside type of nothing.

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Contrary to popular belief (or what your own mom told you), not all moms bond with baby straight out of the womb.

5. When PPD is in charge of your emotions you can have all the bad feels for other people in your life like your partner or friends (especially those without the chains of motherhood).

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If you uncharacteristically have no patience, feel irritated or angry more often than not, or even feel out-of-control rage, PPD could be behind your massive and scary mood swings.

6. Post Partum comes in all shapes and sizes, including post partum anxiety and OCD (cuz why should depression get all the fun).

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If your thoughts are racing and you can’t quiet your mind or are experiencing physical symptoms like stomach cramps, headaches or panic attacks then Post Partum anxiety could be to blame.

7. Moms suffering from Post Partum often have an internal monologue full of doom and gloom.

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Some women are afraid that they’ll never get their old self back or that they may even be going crazy. You’re not, you just need to ask for help.

Fortunately, post partum isn’t a taboo topic anymore. Unfortunately, that doesn’t make it any easier when it’s happening to you. If you think you might be suffering from PPD, talk to your doctor and insist on treatment. You’re not alone and you can get better.