by Becky Vieira posted in Parenting

I have postpartum depression.
No, that doesn?t mean I?m just tired. Nor does it mean I?m suicidal, either. True, PPD can present as either scenario but there is also a huge grey area in between. That's where the majority of us find ourselves.
People say I don?t look like I have PPD, maybe because the stereotype is a woman who doesn?t shower or leave the house. I do those things. It?s not easy, but I do them. It?s confusing, symptoms can change daily and are different for every woman. And if you haven?t experienced it firsthand it?s hard to understand.

While not every woman who suffers from postpartum depression will talk about it, she wants you to know these 12 things to better understand her struggle: 1. She?s scared she won?t get better. In the throes of PPD there?s little light or hope. Being told ?things will improve soon? or ?it?s just baby blues? compounds the problem, making you feel like it?s not serious and you should be getting better -- but you aren?t. When my doctor told me, ?This is real. I don?t know when it will end, but I promise that it will,? I finally felt normal in a time of complete abnormality. I was validated.

2. Visitors make her anxious. I wasn?t intentionally keeping people from my baby, but guests lead to anxiety. If a mom seems hesitant to have you over right away there may be a deeper reason than new parent exhaustion.

3. She doesn?t want to talk on the phone. My phone has been on silent since the day my ...