It’s Maternal Mental Health
I t’s Maternal Mental Health Week, and I am one in five. Two pregnancies. Two completely different postpartum experiences. With my first, I didn’t think I was depressed. The baby was cared for. The house was clean. Meals were made. I was finishing school. Everything looked “fine.” I loved my baby girl and loved caring for her. But inside? It got dark. I felt isolated, like I was drowning. And what made it worse was the guilt—how could I feel this way when I had this beautiful baby in my arms? How could I say I was struggling when everything on the outside looked perfect? I was too embarrassed to ask for help. This was my daughter. How could I say I needed a break—from her? I was ashamed to admit I felt like I was suffocating. It wasn’t until my mom—her grandma—showed up and found me on the living room floor, holding my sleeping baby and crying silently, that I finally spoke up. A family friend—someone I’ll always hold dear—stepped in. She walked with me, talked with me, reminded me thi...