Motherly acquired Motherhood Understood, continuing our mission of providing a woman-centered and supportive community for mothers. We are leaning into telling personal essays from mothers as a way that we learn, connect and feel less alone. Centered on the perspectives of maternal mental health, these stories are intended to help moms feel validated and seen.
"I didn't quite know the name for what I had since even within therapist circles, we don't talk about postpartum depression enough. I just knew that something wasn't right."
"I am thankful for our due diligence to do research, get second opinions and fight for the very best care, but I often wonder what would have happened had we listened to that first doctor."
Progress was slow, but I remember the day my medication began to work. It felt like I could finally see colors, like, "OH, this is how everyone else is experiencing the world."
"I believed I had prepared myself for the postpartum period. I had spoken to many girlfriends who had gone through it and I felt ready for the overwhelming emotions, hormones and exhaustion that came with postpartum."
I thought it meant I was defective and not really cut out to be a mom. I had entire weeks where the only person I spoke to outside my home was the grocery store cashier. I was often alone as a new mom and later when I became a stay-at-home mom.
They didn’t tell me I was at an even higher risk for depression and anxiety whenever there was a hormone change in my body. That loss changed everything for me.
I went back to work full-time. I was still waiting.
I picked up the kids from daycare every day. I was still waiting.
I had a birthday. I was still waiting.
I stopped going out on weekends. Still waiting.
Stopped replying to messages. Still waiting.
Stopped seeing my friends. Still waiting.
Stopped answering phone calls. Waiting.
"On my worst days I felt like I’d rather die than continue to feel that way for one more second. The mental agony was so overwhelming and so debilitating. I could barely handle it."
