Postpartum Anxiety and Strollers
At this time around 5 years ago, I was settling in with my first newborn. I had never really dealt with teeny babies. I had held one or two, of course but not in the trenches. The adrenaline was wearing off and the tired was washing over me like a dense fog. I knew it wasn’t glamorous. I didn’t think I was supposed to be all googly eyed over something that spat and shit on me. But something still wasn’t right. Weeks old turned to months old and while I could see the light at the end of the tunnel, I found myself constantly anxious. Even when he slept, I could jolt awake constantly and be just as irritable by morning. I would call and cry for Kevin to come home because I just didn’t want to be responsible some days. Nap times were torture and I spent them mostly just pacing waiting for him to wake up any minute. I cried from pure stress.
Luckily, my family recognized these things and stepped in. My mother in law came and watched the baby some afternoons so I could do something other than be a mother including going to see my doctor. I started writing here more about what was going on. But in all that, I was reminded I wasn’t alone. So one night that fall, I put Landon to bed and drove to Rex for my first Postpartum Education & Support meeting. I would never be alone again.
But the sad fact is, there ARE many moms out there that are suffering alone. “In fact, more women will suffer from postpartum depression and related illnesses this year than the combined number of new cases for men and women of tuberculosis, leukemia, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and epilepsy.”*
PESNC helped me realize the reality of my problem and hope to come out of it. And I did! Moms Supporting Moms was a life saver and I have always wanted to give back. Let moms and families know I was here to talk (no really, I am) and make them aware of symptoms. I am now the webmaster for the organization. So many compassionate women wanting to help the thousands of moms still in the fog. And one way they are helping is through Strollerthon.
The StrollerThon — our biggest fundraiser of the year — is a two-mile walk in celebration of families and mothers. Proceeds from this event benefit Postpartum Education and Support, and individuals of all ages are welcome to participate. No stroller required!
The goals of the walk are to raise awareness of perinatal mood disorders and to provide a family-friendly outing to financially support the programs of Postpartum Education and Support. The event will feature a Tot Trot for kids, live music, food, and activities for the whole family!
The StrollerThon will take place on Saturday, September 13, 2014 at Bond Park in Cary, NC.
Register to walk or Donate to PESNC
If you want to talk about it, email me. I will respond as quickly as I can, I promise. You don’t have to feel alone…there is village waiting for you. If you are local, come walk with me too!
Read more: http://www.mannlymama.com/2013/05/the-mental-health-of-motherhood/#ixzz3CGgrYnPM
Love how you are giving back to moms by being the non-profit’s webmaster. Sharing our stories and supporting new mom’s is what it is all about. Moms supporting moms… who will then support more moms… they will learn to support more moms and the cycle will continue.
Thank you for this. And for EVERYTHING you do for PES. xoxoxoxo
Thanks for sharing your story. I appreciated being able to reach out to you when things were hard for me. It was my second baby and I didn’t expect any issues, but exhaustion, stress and my own personal expectations just made it all too much. Reading about your history and talking to you helped me to not be afraid to talk to my doctor (along with my amazing husband’s support who knew things weren’t right). At first I hated taking meds but I know now it helps me to be the mom I want to be and it is ok to need help.