Feeling blue?
I promise, you’re not alone. Let’s get help together.
Why do I feel…
overwhelmed, anxious, weepy, angry, fatigued, worthless, hopeless, guilty, forgetful, worried about my baby, uninterested in/unattached to my baby, apathetic to things I know I love and enjoy, paranoid, sleepless, frustrated, change in my appetite, abrupt mood changes, headaches or pain in my chest, like I might hyperventilate, insomnia, hypersomnia…
Take a deep breath
Women around the globe, just like YOU, have the same thoughts and emotions. It is COMMON. Trust me, as a girl who has OCD myself, I completely understand what it’s like to wrestle with anxiety, obsession, and even depression at times. But trust me, just like your contractions, this is just a wave that will float on by. You will be ok. It will pass, and you will find yourself stronger, resilient, and more compassionate on the other side. Let’s talk about how to get there. Keep scrolling for hope and encouragement.
Why do I picture…
stabbing my baby, drowning my baby in the bath, shaking my baby, my baby choking and not being able to save them, my baby being dead, my baby dying in their sleep….
Why do I obsessively…
check if my baby is ok all night long, avoid being alone with my baby for fear of harming them, pray the same thing over and over, seek assurance that I am a good mom, wonder if other moms feel this way or if I’m going “crazy”…
So, where do I start?
Listed for you, you will find 10 check points to feeling alive again. I have websites that explain postpartum disorders and dispel the fear surrounding them, counseling resources, YouTube videos, blogs, help lines, community groups, and more. At the end of this page, you will see stories of real women who have “passed through the waters” and survived brilliantly (So will you!) I love you. So take a deep breath. You’re going to make it.
psalm 56:8
“You keep track of all my sorrows.
You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
You have recorded each one in your book..”
Hopeful & Helpful Numbers
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) #1-800-662-4357 (Call if you are struggling with OCD or postpartum issues)
Postpartum Support International - #1-800-944-4773 (call OR text)
Suicide & Crisis Hotline - #988 (24/7 call, text, chat, for free, and confidential support)
2. Websites to Explore
Postpartum OCD: Thoughts, Symptoms, and Treatment
Postpartum Support International - PSI (Home Page)
Learn More | Postpartum Support International (PSI) (This page gives you an overview and explanation of various postpartum mood disorders. Super helpful.)
3. Helpful YouTube Stories/Videos
(14) Baby Blues vs Postpartum Depression: Signs, Risks & Treatments! | Sarah Lavonne - YouTube
*The following two tell a birth story that might be difficult to listen to, or it might be healing for you. Please watch/listen with a loved one. :) If you are not ready to watch it yet, there is no shame in giving yourself some more time. Love you!
(14) How to Have a Healing Birth Memory- The Birth She Wanted: Part 2 | Sarah Lavonne - YouTube
4. Blogs to Peruse
*still seeking out the best ones to list! Coming soon!
5. Podcasts to Learn
The Postpartum Happiness Podcast- Support for Moms of EVERY Stage on Apple Podcasts
The Strong Moms Fitness Pregnancy and Postpartum Podcast with Daisy Bravo on Apple Podcasts
6. Books to Read
Postpartum depression and anxiety: A self-help guide for mothers: Pacific Post Partum Support Society: 9780986871214: Amazon.com: Books (This book is SO good. It’s a short, easy read and thoroughly explains the ins and outs of PPD while giving peace and reassurance to the anxious heart.)
Little Women (Wordsworth Luxe Collection): Louisa M Alcott: 9781840221947: Amazon.com: Books (This one really has nothing to do with PPD, but it is my favorite book and one of the most beautifully written classics of all time. When I read it, I felt like I was “home” from the first page to the last. It is saturated with goodness and zest of life. It’s difficult to describe such a masterpiece, to be honest. In all this craziness of having a new baby and making family adjustments, don’t forget to find beauty - and one of the best ways, is to find it in a good book. Don’t forget to message me what you think!)
7. Community Groups to Join
Wisconsin Chapter of Postpartum Support International (psichapters.com)
Postpartum Anxiety Support Group | Facebook
Postpartum Support International | Facebook
8. Counseling to Receive
*There is NO SHAME in counseling. I avoided it (in my pride) for years, but when I finally took the step to go, I found a precious confidant, teacher, and friend in my counselor. I love her to death! Counseling feels like a hug. And who doesn’t need a hug?
BetterHelp - Get Started & Sign-Up Today
Get Anxiety & Depression Help Online | Brightside
9. Body Healing to Restore
(14) New 14-Day Postpartum Workout Challenge! - YouTube
(14) Postpartum Yoga Flow For 6 Month+ Postpartum // 20-Min Postnatal Yoga - YouTube
(14) Postpartum Meditations | Vol IV - YouTube
Simply google “pelvic floor therapy near me”. Believe me, you won’t regret investing in this, and it’s often covered by insurance! (*P.s I’ve had PFT and it’s not that scary, I promise! I actually loved my therapist and learned so much from her.)
Budget for a massage once a month :)
10. Self Care to Thrive (I saved the best for last! NO skipping this one!)
Alright Mamma, self care is not selfish. It’s creating the kindest calmest YOU that your baby and family need you to be. I have a list of daily self-care MUSTS. :) No feeling guilty. You may need to sneak these self-care moments in between the new responsibilities of “Mom life”, but please do not put them off! Let’s set you up for thriving in this postpartum period!
Shower. Basic, right? I don’t know HOW MANY women have said that they don’t have time to shower daily. Make the time. If that’s the only thing you can manage for you today, step in the shower and stay in for 3 minutes longer, and enjoy the warm rain.
Walk. If the weather and your body permits, go outside each day and walk for 10 - 30 minutes. The simple act of moving your body through a walk creates happy hormones for your brain to be able to remember that life is good and change can be good. Some of my most inspired and calm moments come from my long bike rides in the summertime.
Ponytail, mascara, and lip gloss. Just trust me on this one. It takes 60 seconds and you will feel awake and alive to enjoy this day with your sweet baby.
Text a friend. As women, we can get lost in our own heads and world, especially in this postpartum period. Send a friend a short, “I love you!”, “Thinking of you”, “How are you?” text each day to remember to you’re not alone as well as brighten the day of a dear one!
Gratitude journal. Take 5 minutes in bed each night to write out:
1. Three things you are grateful for
2. A highlight of the day
3. Something you overcame today
4. Something you learned
5. Things to look forward to tomorrow
* (I have a gratitude journal that follows this outline and I write in it almost every night. It’s just a relaxing end to my day. It sets my mind in a peaceful and grateful state and reminds me of the goodness to encounter tomorrow. I love it!) Normal journaling is beneficial and therapeutic in itself, but there is a LOT of research into how gratitude journaling can seriously turn around your perspective from hopeless to peaceful and content. Give it a try!
P.s - Dear Friend, while I know that everyone has their own beliefs and backgrounds, I truly believe that Jesus is the best balm for your broken heart. He doesn’t rush you out of your grief - He wants to sit there with you while you weep, and in His time, He will lead you to a place of healing. (One of my favorite promises in scripture is, “He turns mourning to dancing.”)
While this life promises no “absolutes”, He can absolutely promise you everlasting love and hope. Please let me know if you’d like me to introduce you to Him. As the verse above describes, even your tears are precious to Him. Why not meet the One who loves you most?
~ All my love, Sarah Beth
…time for real stories of transformation…
So, sip some creamy coffee and settle in, my friend.
“Once I was able to distinguish having a bad DAY from having a bad LIFE, I knew I was heading in a better direction. I had a tendency to take every difficult moment I was having to the extreme. One sleepless night meant “I’m never sleeping again”. One moment of doubt in my abilities meant “I’m not fit to be a mom”. One moment of hardship meant “my life is so hard”. One moment of wishing I could take a day off meant “I wish I had my old life back”.
In reality, motherhood is full of difficult moments. Sleepless nights. Doubt. But it’s also full of precious moments. Joy. Smiles. Love, SO MUCH love. Postpartum depression never took away the precious moments. They were always there, I just didn’t always notice them at the time. I now remember some of my hardest days with the most fondness because those precious moments are now completely visible to me.
I have always been at the mercy of God, not at the mercy of my hormones, and God’s mercies are new every morning. How important it is to take motherhood morning by morning and moment by moment and to not be consumed, for God’s compassions fail not (Lamentations 3:22-33). God tells us it is HE who makes us to be JOYFUL mothers (Psalm 113:9). And though I’ve struggled postpartum, I can say with 100% certainty that He has made me a joyful mother. God always fulfills his promises.” - a dear friend of Yours Truly.