Baby Blues

Britney Spears.

Honestly... I couldn't stand the girl for the longest time. I absolutely loathed and abhored her with every fibre of my being. Yes. I did. Me. Britney Spears. Hate. Intensely. Anyways, I'm sure everyone remembers when she completely flipped her lid and just went "nuts". Right? Like, oh my gosh what's her problem.

:-X

I knew what her problem was (or at least had an educated guess). And some people speculated about it. But no one really did anything to help her for the longest time. Everyone pointed fingers at her and laughed. Everyone said what a horrible mother she was. Everyone plastered her face all over the tabloids with every single mistake that she made. Every single ugly t-shirt or untied shoe was world news. I mean, holy cow.

I felt SORRY for her. I looked at her and how she was crumbling infront of the entire nation and I felt sorry for her. While everyone was saying she had gone completely loony and was high on drugs and drunk etc.... all I kept thinking of was the complete feeling of almost bone crushing depression she must have.

Now this post isn't about Britney Spears. I kind of got carried away in my analogy.

What I AM talking about is postpartum depression. The frustration a lot of women feel when they try to voice their concerns to someone who blows it off as "baby blues" saying "oh you'll feel better in a week or 2". And the despair women can feel knowing that THEY know something is wrong and no one is going to help them because in their infinite wisdom, they believe otherwise.

So many women are afraid to admit the way they feel. Understandably so.... but it goes back to what I said before. If you can't take care of YOU how are you going to take care of anyone else. ESPECIALLY a newborn child that DEMANDS every ounce of energy and attention that you have.

Everyone is bound to have the Baby Blues. With all of the hormonal changes going on in your body it's pretty much a given. And it's normal. But those usually do subside within a few weeks after you deliver. Postpartum depression is (and forgrive my terminology) baby blues on steroids. The feelings you have intensify and can keep building for months after you give birth.

Please don't be afraid to find help. If, after a few weeks, you notice that you have no enjoyment in the things that used to make you happy, you constantly feel on the verge of tears, you feel hopeless and worthless... if you feel guilty with no reason behind it.... tell someone. If you don't think that anyone without a PhD is going to give a rats ass (pardon my french) find someone WITH one. Tell your own doctor. If you don't feel like you have the energy to get out of bed (not to mean that you're getting no sleep because your baby keeps you up at night), if you notice drastic weight/appetite changes... and here's the big one... if you have thoughts of suicide or harming yourself TELL SOMEONE. Please.

Don't suffer in silence. You are not alone. Don't keep it to yourself because you're afraid of what people will think of you if you spill that you're depressed. If they have a problem with you then who cares what they think anyway right? Don't let someone talk you in to believing that it's just Baby Blues (and for those of you on the receiving end of the "I think something's wrong with me" conversations DONT. I repeat. DON'T. DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT just tell them "it's baby blues. It will go away." I can not tell you how many people I wanted to slap in the face because of that very saying). Just because it WAS baby blues for someone else doesn't mean that you don't feel something different.

Don't be afraid to tell someone. You deserve to be healthy. Mentally and physically. You deserve to be emotionally happy and well. You don't need to wish, every morning when you get out of bed, that you'd never opened your eyes.

Don't be afraid.