Your baby finally has arrived and it is a time of pure bliss. The snuggles, the coos, the bonding…it has all become so real. But there is something inside of you that just isn’t right. You are emotionally and physically drained from the hours of labor. The sleep deprivation starts to kick in because your little one can’t tell the difference between night and day. If you are breastfeeding, the nipple pain you are experiencing hurts so bad that you may even shed some tears. The feedings and diaper changes are around the clock. Becoming a new mother can be hard at first. As many as 1 in 5 new mothers will suffer from severe depression or anxiety after giving birth, and a woman is significantly more likely to suffer from one of these conditions during her first year as a mother than at any other time in her life.¹

The Hormones

There are many factors that can contribute towards postpartum depression. First, the hormonal roller coaster after giving birth is one that no one can prepare you ...

“Physical pain is a sign something ain’t right.
Mental pain, in my opinion, is the exact same thing.”
Robert Whitaker, Author of Anatomy of an Epidemic and Pulitzer Prize Nominee

Mental and emotional problems can interfere with one’s life in every aspect. Depressive disorders are associated with poor work activity, disrupted sleeping patterns, bad eating habits, and can put a toll on family units and social life. Anxiety and stress have become acceptable diseases of the 21st century, linked to fast lifestyles and demanding jobs. More than 1 in 20 Americans are depressed, according to the most recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and 20% of adults will suffer from some type of mood disorder that requires treatment over their lifetime (1).

The diagnostic criterion for depression is set forth by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition as follows….
Depressed moods or loss of interest or pleasure most of the time for 2 weeks...