We thank you.

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I have tried to write this 4 times, and it never comes out the way that I want it to.

This week has been nothing short of amazing. I was so scared to hit publish when I shared my story with the world. I had kept it a secret for so long, that it felt strange to tell it for the first time to the Internet. But sharing my story helped heal me in some ways. 4 years later, I realize that I was not alone, and there were so many other women struggling alongside me. Our wish is that women will be able to share their stories with other mothers. Let them know that they are not alone, and that we all are in this together. There is no shame in what you are going through.

If you are suffering in silence, or just struggling, we beg you to get help. Husbands, mothers, doctors, midwives, friends, relatives, church leaders, whoever you feel comfortable going to, please just go.

If you suspect that someone you know is struggling, please be patient with her. There is a good chance that she is not sure what she is going through herself. Be a good friend. Offer to bring her a meal. Be sensitive. Take her baby for a bit so that she can rest. Stay connected. Clean her house or do a load of laundry. Just listen. Take her out for a walk. Bring her flowers for no reason. Drop off a Starbucks. Take her out for lunch or dinner. Just please do not give up on her.

Ask her to seek help. There is a good chance that this will be met with resistance, or even anger. Encourage her to speak to a professional that can help her get the help that she needs. For herself and for her baby.

Thank you for sharing your stories in the comments. We were honored that you shared them with us.

For a recap of this series:

The Gift of Postpartum Depression

The Gift that Keeps on Giving

Crying in the Shower: My Experience with Postpartum Depression

Postpartum Anxiety

Postpartum Depression by Erin Vey

Journey Through the Darkness

There is Hope

About Bree

Bree is the founder and writer of BakedBree.com, a recipe site that shares her love of cooking, baking, and entertaining with others. BakedBree.com launched in February of 2010 as a way to merge Bree’s love of photography with her love of food, and share both with friends and family. Currently, Bree lives in the suburbs of Washington DC with her husband and 3 children.

+ - 5 comments

ericaengle - Thank you for this series. Thankfully I never had PPD so I’m not sure I would know how to recognize it in a friend but I’ve gone through enough dark times to know that a hug and meal is a good place for a friend to start. My husband is a NICU nurse and I emailed the link for him to read at work and share with the other nurses since they interact with a lot of moms.

thecreativemama - thank you for sharing this. It is so important to us that we support each other, and this is a great way to start. xo.

Michelle Hansen - Thank you, thank you, thank you for this series! It is such a tough subject, and for some reason a Taboo area. And that is ridiculous because it is so common!

Some good reads around the web | everyday things. - [...] The Creative Mama did a heart-wrenching and beautifully raw series on postpartum depression. [...]

Cathy Kitchen - Over 20 years ago I had PPD with my first child. I had prepared so much for the physical aspects of pregnancy and delivery, but was completely unprepared for PPD. No one ever even mentioned it during my pregnancy. The best gift I ever had was a friend who brought me over a dinner, put it in my refrigerator, wished me well, and left me so I didn’t feel like I had to entertain her. I hope things have changed since then, so that new moms can be better able to work through this difficult illness.