Postnatal depression can creep up and take over those we least expect it to. Many will be struggling with it right now but too ashamed to speak out about it – I mean isn’t having a baby meant to be a happy time?
At the start of the year I met a strong, wonderful lady who shared her story with me. She did not seem like the type of person to get depressed. Mental illnesses can be deceiving and 1 in 4 of us will sadly experience one.
Having a baby is a whirlwind of excitement but it is also totally life changing. The crazy, all natural hormone surge and sleep deprivation can make us vulnerable. What makes it worse in my opinion is when people decide to treat this life as a performance.
Have you ever met one of those new Mum’s who makes it look way too easy? They lose all the baby weight after a few days, still find the time to wear makeup, can walk perfectly in heels whilst gracefully carrying their baby kitted out in the latest gear – which happens to match their own.
The lack of sleep ‘doesn’t bother them, they just get on with it’. Oh dear – what am I doing wrong? Why can’t I be winning the Mummy game like they are? Behind closed doors though we are all fighting our own battles. Some of us just have a better filter.
Postnatal Depression Awareness week reminded me to keep it real. We all have days that we feel drained and we need help. The more we are open and honest about our feelings, the easier it will be for others to be too.
Sadly there will be many that really need help. People who are feeling like they can’t cope and the more those feelings build silently – the more dangerous they become. In a world full of Instagram and Pinterest let’s remember that it is ok to ditch the filter sometimes.
